Almost anyone with a smartphone can attest that phone batteries get crummier the longer you have them, so this iPhone 5 battery issue must be pretty severe if Apple is actually doing something about it.
Apple says it's determined that some iPhone 5 devices came with faulty batteries that after some time drain more quickly and require frequent charging, and now it's begun an official replacement program.
Apple will replace the battery in your iPhone 5 for free if you purchased it between September 2012 and January 2013, and if it falls within a certain serial number range.
The company says this includes only "a very small percentage" of devices, so it's best to check whether you're eligible before you start celebrating that you won't have to plug your phone in every two hours anymore.
Good company
You can check whether your iPhone 5 is eligible for battery replacement by entering its serial number here.
Apple may also reimburse iPhone 5 owners who paid out of pocket to have their batteries replaced. However if your iPhone 5 also has a cracked screen or another issue, Apple will charge you to repair that before it replaces your battery.
The program began August 22 in the US and China, two of the iPhone's biggest markets, and it will be available elsewhere starting August 29 including the UK.
It's unclear whether the iPhone 5's battery woes are related to the issues with iPhone 5S batteries that Apple acknowledged in 2013.
Hopefully the iPhone 6 doesn't face similar problems - enough attention's been paid to its battery already, after all.
- Maybe choose one of the 10 best smartphones that doesn't have a faulty battery
Via The Verge
