Apple Launches Replacement Program for Smart Battery Cases Designed for iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR
Apple today launched a battery case replacement program for Smart Battery Cases designed for the iPhone XS, XS Max, and iPhone XR.
According to Apple, some Smart Battery Cases can experience charging issues, including cases that will not charge or charge intermittently when plugged into power, or cases that will not charge an iPhone or charge it intermittently.
Affected Smart Battery Cases were manufactured between January 2019 and October 2019. Apple says that this is not a safety issue and Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will replace eligible cases for free.
All Smart Battery Cases designed for iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR manufactured between the above dates are eligible for replacement. Apple says that no other iPhone Smart Battery Cases are a part of the program, which means no iPhone 11, 11 Pro, or 11 Pro Max battery cases will be replaced.
Apple says that customers with an impacted Smart Battery Case can find an Apple Authorized Service Provider or make an appointment at an Apple retail location to have their case replaced. Smart Battery Cases will be examined prior to service to verify that they are eligible for the program.
Affected cases will be disposed of in an environmentally friendly way and the program covers Smart Battery Cases for two years after the first retail sale of the unit.
Since the Smart Battery Cases launched in early 2019, there have been complaints over various failures and issues with charging. At one point in mid-2019, the Smart Battery Cases were unavailable for purchase and backordered for over a month, a stock issue that could have been related to ongoing charging problems.
Popular Stories
Following over three months of beta testing, iOS 18 will finally be widely released to the public this Monday, September 16. The update should be available to install tomorrow starting at around 10 a.m. Pacific Time (1 p.m. Eastern Time) in the Settings app under General → Software Update on the iPhone XS and newer. Below, we have highlighted eight key new features included in iOS 18, and...
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different – already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
Following its iPhone 16 event on Monday, Apple shared a PDF on its website with a list of all new features and changes coming with iOS 18. The list includes many features that were already announced, including Apple Intelligence, new customization options for the Home Screen and Control Center, a redesigned Photos app, several enhancements to the Messages app, a Passwords app, and more....
Apple began accepting pre-orders for all four new iPhone 16 models today, and shipping estimates for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max on Apple's online store in the U.S. are already beginning to slip into October for many configurations. As of 6:45 a.m. Pacific Time, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max were facing a 2-4 week shipping delay for some configurations on Apple's online store, with...
Apple will likely hold another event in October this year to announce new Macs and iPads. If so, it would be the fourth time in the last five years that Apple has held an event in October. Last year, Apple held a virtual event on Monday, October 30 to announce new MacBook Pro and iMac models with the M3 series of chips. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated...
iOS 18 will be released to the public on Monday, but the first Apple Intelligence features will not be available until iOS 18.1 is released in October. Apple Intelligence features will continue to roll out in iOS 18.2 and beyond, with the expected roadmap outlined below per Apple's website and rumors. Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro model or any iPhone 16 model, and it will...
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said demand for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max has been "lower than expected" since the devices became available to pre-order in the U.S. and dozens of other countries on Friday. Kuo said his data is based on a "supply chain survey" and shipping estimates listed on Apple's online store. Kuo estimated that sales of all four iPhone 16 models reached...