After the release of the iPhone 15 series, Apple was once again criticized for having no new ideas. Users holding previous-generation models said they had no emotions and even wanted to laugh a little. But in order to let you "change your phone obediently", Apple has already thought of new strategies in advance. At the same time that the iPhone 15 series was launched on the official website, Apple’s latest official battery replacement service strategy also came. Among them, the iPhone 14 series battery replacement service has increased from the original 748 yuan to 809 yuan.
access:
Apple Online Store (China)
(Image source: Apple)
In addition to the previous-generation models, all iPhone models from iPhone7 to the present have experienced price increases to varying degrees. It is worth noting that this is the second time this year that Apple has adjusted the price of battery replacement services.
With frequent increases in the price of battery replacement services, does Apple really want to force old users to change their phones? Or maybe the AppleCare+ service plan is not selling well and you need help from Apple fans? Regardless, it's a chilling decision.
Apple takes ruthless measures to force out “nail households”
The biggest “victim” of this price increase is the non-full-screen iPhone model.
It is understood that Apple officially still supports battery replacement service for models from iPhone7 to iPhone14 series, which are mainly divided into two camps: full-screen and non-full-screen.
Battery replacement services for iPhone7, iPhone8 and iPhoneSE increased from 528 yuan to 559 yuan; iPhoneX~iPhone13 series increased from 688 yuan to 729 yuan. The iPhone 14 series is an exception, rising from 748 yuan to 809 yuan.
(Image source: Apple)
On average, the full-screen iPhone models increased by 33%, and the non-full-screen iPhone models increased by 47%.
Interestingly, the lowest price offered by the second-hand platform iPhone7 has reached 699 yuan. In other words, if you replace the battery at Apple’s official website, you can almost buy a second-hand iPhone7.
Of course, some users also say, is it okay if I don’t replace the battery?
In fact, the "underclocking gate" incident was exposed as early as the iPhone 6 period. In 2018, some users broke the news online that after upgrading to the latest version of iOS system, iPhone 6 experienced performance degradation, especially battery health, which was greatly reduced.
(Image source: Apple)
Although Apple's final solution was to lower the price of battery replacement services, its "frequency reduction" practice continues secretly. According to Apple’s description of iPhone battery usage guidelines, iPhones with battery health below 80% may experience some performance limitations.
As a result, users of older iPhone models must find ways to replace their phones with new batteries to ensure normal performance. This is very important for older models such as iPhone 7 and iPhone 8. After all, even when the normal battery is healthy, they are not too smooth for daily use.
(Image source: Apple)
Unlike accidental damage, battery wear and tear is inevitable even with normal use. Therefore, in the smartphone industry, battery repair services are also one of the services that receive more and more attention. Most manufacturers have launched cheaper and more complete battery maintenance plans to help users of older models maintain normal usage fluency.
Apple seems to want to use the strategy of continuously increasing prices to stimulate old users to switch to the latest iPhone, but such an approach will only allow these users to quickly escape Apple's ecosystem.
The originator of battery marketing was robbed of the limelight by a friend
Apple launched the "Battery Health" feature for iPhone on iOS11 to facilitate users to check the battery status of their phones.
The resulting anxiety about "battery health" began to spread.
Although Apple is one of the first manufacturers to build battery health into the system, it is far less generous than domestic mobile phone manufacturers in terms of battery after-sales service.
Xiaomi has launched a battery replacement plan for the Xiaomi Mi 13 series that are still on sale. The price is set at 159 yuan, and the out-of-warranty guide price is 40 yuan. In addition, the after-sales replacement price of the two batteries built into the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3, which is more difficult to repair, is only 89 yuan.
(Source: Xiaomi official website)
Not only that, Xiaomi also launches various limited-time promotions from time to time. For example, from January 1st to January 7th this year, the cost of battery replacement is 20% off. With the support of preferential policies, the service fee for old models such as Xiaomi MIX4 and Xiaomi 11 is only less than 160 yuan. For the iPhone 12 series released in the same year, Apple’s official battery replacement cost is currently as high as 729 yuan.
In addition, Huawei has also launched a "one-price battery replacement" service. This after-sales service will start on January 1, 2023 and end on December 31, 2023. For old models such as Huawei Mate8 and P8, as well as models that were expensive at the time, such as Mate40RS Porsche Design, you can exchange them for official new original batteries for only 99 yuan.
(Source: Huawei Mall)
More importantly, brands such as Huawei and Xiaomi have a wide coverage of offline after-sales service points, and battery replacement services are also very convenient. Compared with Apple, which takes several days to return to the factory, the time cost for users is also much less.
And this is not the end of battery after-sales service.
On September 15th, OPPO A2Pro was officially released, along with the “four-year battery replacement plan”. According to OPPO's official description, as long as the user's battery health is less than 80% after after-sales testing within four years, the battery can be replaced once for free.
(Source; OPPO)
Does this sound familiar? Yes, the rules are the same as Apple’s battery replacement program under warranty. But Apple only provides a one-year warranty for iPhones, while OPPO provides four years.
OPPO has extended the service period to four years, which is a plan that is very suitable for the current development of smartphones.
It has to be said that with the continuous development of battery cell technology, it is very difficult for currently sold smartphones to drop below 80% of their original capacity within one year. For most users who use mobile phones normally, Apple's warranty plan is equivalent to "paper talk" and its practicality is close to zero.
A report issued by market research organization Counterpoint last year showed that the per capita replacement cycle has reached 43 months in 2022, which is about three and a half years for a new mobile phone. Faced with an increasingly severe market environment, Apple and domestic mobile phone manufacturers have made completely opposite decisions.
OPPO, Xiaomi, Huawei and other brands have all launched quite complete battery replacement plans, and there are also some preferential activities and limited-time discounts to benefit consumers. Apple, on the other hand, continues to increase battery replacement service fees to stimulate consumers to upgrade to new iPhone models. In this regard, domestic brands beat Apple too much.
Profit comes first, Apple ruthlessly "snatches" users' wool
Among the various types of after-sales services, battery replacement is the one with the least worries about losing business and the lowest cost. In Apple's profit-first business, it is naturally impossible to let this part go.
Because Apple's battery replacement program is very expensive, the market has also spawned a large number of third-party battery replacement services. The quality of these services varies: some have false battery capacity standards, and some have poor installation standards. In general, these third-party services have seriously affected the iPhone's reputation.
In 2020, Apple personally suppressed third-party battery replacement services, issued compatibility reminders for unofficial batteries, and refused to provide battery health checks for these batteries. As a result, users who want to replace the battery can only choose official services.
(Source: AppleNewsroom)
As we mentioned earlier, battery loss is almost inevitable, and the degree of loss is only linked to the user's usage habits. Faced with reduced battery health, users have only two choices: buy a new model or replace the battery. So whether it is AppleCare+ priced at 1,198 yuan for two years, or a battery replacement service with a minimum price of 559 yuan, Apple can successfully "gather" a handful of wool from users.
However, as the average time per person uses mobile phones increases, battery health will decline faster than before. More and more consumers will pay more attention to the after-sales strategies of each brand when purchasing mobile phones. This is why domestic mobile phone brands are "involved" in battery replacement plans.
(Image source: Apple)
From a consumer's perspective, battery replacement is a rigidly needed service. Apple's attempt to use a rising strategy to stimulate sales of new iPhones is definitely not the best way. In comparison, Xiaomi's limited-time promotions, Huawei's one-price battery replacement, or OPPO's four-year battery replacement plan are all more popular among users.
In any case, Apple's "arrogance" comes from its extremely high market share of high-end smartphones, but consumers' habits of purchasing mobile phones have quietly changed. In addition to paying more attention to the innovation and performance of the product itself, they have also begun to care about the brand's after-sales policy. Domestic mobile phone brands with high cost performance and good after-sales service can actually give users a more comfortable experience. In the near future, this may also cause a fatal blow to Apple.