The revelation caused an uproar one of the oldest Apple conspiracy theories, that it slows down old phones through software updates, seemed to be true.
Apple's response was to discount some battery replacements for a limited time, slashing the price from $79 or more to $29. This was done for many reasons, including to regain consumer trust and to fend off pending class-action suits about the software.
Apparently, people took advantage of the offer. Apple replaced 11 million batteries in 2018 under the program, Daring Fireball's John Gruber wrote on Monday . Citing remarks made by Apple CEO Tim Cook during an internal all-hands meeting, Gruber reported that he said that Apple would only normally replace 1-2 million batteries.
The number of battery replacements isn't surprising. In January, shortly after the program was announced, Apple Stores were slammed by customers looking for cheap new batteries, Business Insider reported . Some stores had to set up triage-like systems, with dedicated stations or tables devoted to helping people who want a battery replacement, retail employees said.
Gruber writes that the battery-replacement program may have impacted iPhone sales, which is one reason why the company said earlier this month that it had collected at least $5 billion less in revenue during the holiday quarter than it had previously told investors to expect. The battery-replacement program was even mentioned in Cook's letter to investors as one reason for the miss.
That's possible if a large percentage of 11 million battery upgraders decided to pass on this year's new iPhone models, figuring that a new battery made their old phones feel like new. But it also underscores that there is considerable consumer demand for smartphone battery replacements, and that Apple's traditionally high prices to swap a battery may convince consumers simply to get a new iPhone.
Apple's $29 battery program is over, but it quietly reduced the price for an out-of-warranty battery replacement. Replacing the battery on an iPhone that came out this year now costs $69 through Apple, and $49 for older iPhone models.
SEE ALSO: Apple stores are slammed because of a $29 battery-replacement offer, even though not everyone needs a new battery
