Just when you thought the iPhone couldn't get more expensive...

[Sp4cedOut]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19627590/wid/11915829?GT1=10150


The iPhone's battery is apparently soldered on inside the device and cannot be swapped out by the owner like most other cell phones.

Users would have to submit their iPhone to Apple for battery service. The service will cost users $79, plus $6.95 for shipping, and will take three business days.

[Ralob]

Ridiculous that some people waited in line for days for this...

[starcraft.man]

How is this news? Apple has done it with all hand held devices (iPods and others), its their policy.

[ButteBlues]

How often do you expect the battery to die anyway?

They last several years, at least.

[Eggnog]

You'd think for the price they charge for an iPhone that they'd just give you a loaner for inconveniencing you, not charge you $29 for it.

[illu45]

How is this news? Apple has done it with all hand held devices (iPods and others), its their policy.

Actually, I believe that iPod batteries were only hidden, but not soldered, so it was possible to replace them. That may have changed in more recent generations, though.

[dasunst3r]

This is one of the reasons why I give devices with user-replaceable batteries significantly higher preference. On another note, I'm waiting for my phone to die. When I do, the FIC Neo1973 is definitely on my list (more information at www.openmoko.com)

[The Noble]

I just got a new phone, but I really want to support the open moko project by buying an FIC Neo1973 in a year or so. Thanks for reminding me about the project dasunt3r! It's looking better every time I check up on it!

[Andrewie]

This is one of the reasons why I give devices with user-replaceable batteries significantly higher preference. On another note, I'm waiting for my phone to die. When I do, the FIC Neo1973 is definitely on my list (more information at www.openmoko.com)

That phone is going to be my new ipod, video player, and phone.

and ipod have crappy batteries, I thought they had like 500 charges or something. I'm thinking of getting the developers phone because its cheaper.

[Adamant1988]

Actually, I believe that iPod batteries were only hidden, but not soldered, so it was possible to replace them. That may have changed in more recent generations, though.

iPod batteries were never exactly accessible, and even then you're SOL finding a replacement. This has always been Apple's policy on their handhelds... I think it is to encourage upgrading to a newer model, rather than paying to get the battery fixed.

[Adamant1988]

That phone is going to be my new ipod, video player, and phone.

and ipod have crappy batteries, I thought they had like 500 charges or something. I'm thinking of getting the developers phone because its cheaper.

This is so not true... I've had several iPods and I will continue to buy them... I have never been let down by their batteries in several years of using them.

[Griff]

How often do you expect the battery to die anyway?

They last several years, at least.
Yea, I've never replaced any lith-ion battery in any device that's ever used one. I just got a new blackberry pearl to replace my 2 year old razr and it still has the original battery.

[Adamant1988]

Yea, I've never replaced any lith-ion battery in any device that's ever used one. I just got a new blackberry pearl to replace my 2 year old razr and it still has the original battery.

Right, in iPods the hard drive in them is more likely to crap out on you than the battery, which is precisely the reason I buy the iPod nanos, no moving parts to break. I will continue to buy Nanos because I thoroughly enjoy them.

[mips]

How often do you expect the battery to die anyway?

They last several years, at least.

When I buy a cell phone I always buy a extra battery. I rotate them occasionally but it is handy to have a spare battery around.

[ButteBlues]

When I buy a cell phone I always buy a extra battery. I rotate them occasionally but it is handy to have a spare battery around.
I'll agree with you there, but my current cell phone can go usually around 3-4 days before needing charging, so it's a moot point for me.

[beefcurry]

Thats why, you don't get a iPhone. Duh?!

[needtolookatascreenshot]

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=519877

[DeadSuperHero]

For all of you wanting to get an iPhone, watch this:
http://www.loadingreadyrun.com/videos/view/211/iPhone+Alternative

[Adamant1988]

And yet you'll easily find thousands of articles, blog entries, forum posts about issues with the ipod batteries...

Right, thousands. Out of what? 44 million iPods? OH that's JUST the Nanos.

[needtolookatascreenshot]

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=519877

[Adamant1988]

Well, considering that not everyone who runs into a problem is going to post about it on the internet, thousands of posts on the internet is a very significant number. I know it's hard to see through your rose colored fanboy-glasses, but that's just the way it is:

Problems with iPod batteries are not at all uncommon.

P.S.: Did it even occur to you that it's incredible stupid to dismiss thousands of articles, forum-posts, blog-posts, etc., when just a few posts earlier you dismissed all critizism of the iPod because of the experiences of one, I can only repeat it, one person, namely yourself?

Did it ever occur to you that issues with iPod batters might not be the norm? A few thousand people out of 50+ million squawking about it sure paints a lovely picture of doom and gloom for naysayers but it obviously doesn't change the typical experience.

[needtolookatascreenshot]

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=519877

[godd4242]

This is so not true... I've had several iPods and I will continue to buy them... I have never been let down by their batteries in several years of using them.

Have you bought "several" because they broke or you just wanted an upgrade?

PS:

Can we cease the "merr internet blog posts iPods suck debate for a moment?


I WANT MORE INFO ON THAT DELICIOUS FOSS PHONE

Damn that thing looks nice.

But what network does it run with, what telcom?

[Adamant1988]

1. I said they were not uncommon and layed out the reasons why I thougth thousands of posts on the internet were a good indicator for this. Unfortunately, you chose to ignore my argument.
2. How come you now dismiss the experiences of thousands of people when a few posts up the experience one person, namely yours, was apparently enough for you to decide what's true and what's not?

I said that the batteries don't get only 500 charges as I know that's not true, and until now I've never even heard that.

Also, thousands of posts on the internet are NOT a good indicator. They're an indicator that *gasp* thousands of people have had problems with iPods... out of MILLIONS. No matter how you wrap those numbers the number of people having battery issues are part of a very very tiny minority. It doesn't mean that it doesn't suck that they're having the problem but that's like saying "DELL LAPTOPS SUCK" because some of their batteries overheat and catch on fire.

[Adamant1988]

Have you bought "several" because they broke or you just wanted an upgrade?

I did break one, well, I didn't break it, but I had one suffer a hard drive failure after taking a nice little fall off of the table (which is why I only buy iPod Nanos now). Other than that it's just because I want an upgrade. I'm looking at buying the white 8 GB ipod nano right now because I want more space than the one I have offers.

[regomodo]

When I buy a cell phone I always buy a extra battery. I rotate them occasionally but it is handy to have a spare battery around.

Use doesn't kill li-ions. Age does. That's why when i bought a laptop battery i made sure it wasn't one that had been lying around for ages

[maniacmusician]

I'll agree with you there, but my current cell phone can go usually around 3-4 days before needing charging, so it's a moot point for me.
goddamn, what phone do you have?

[Adamant1988]

This seems like a relevant place for this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg1ckCkm8YI

[ButteBlues]

goddamn, what phone do you have?
Some cheapo LG phone. Doesn't even have a camera.

Mind, I don't make calls but a couple times a day and they usually don't last more than 30 minutes or so.

[qamelian]

This is so not true... I've had several iPods and I will continue to buy them... I have never been let down by their batteries in several years of using them.

You've been lucky. The single biggest complaint people have had about the iPod is the poor battery longevity. Although sometimes the battery is not genuinely dead and only appears to be because the charge sensor sometimes needs recalibration to give an accurate battery life reading, the number of reports of batteries dying in a year or less is much, much higher than it should be. I bought my first ever iPod in November of 2006. The battery is completely dead as of the end of May. I've already done the procedure to recalibrate the charge sensor to ensure that this isn't the problem. The battery is toast. I will definitely never own another iPod.

[qamelian]

Use doesn't kill li-ions. Age does. That's why when i bought a laptop battery i made sure it wasn't one that had been lying around for ages

If this was true, then the battery longevity would not be rated by the number of charge cycles. All Li-ion batteries are given a rating based on the number of times it can reasonably expect to be recharged before it begins to die. You can usually find this rating in the product specs for the item that contains the battery. The rating may vary wildly on the same model of battery depending on te type of item it is powering.

[euler_fan]

And the sheer (and increasing) costs of an iPhone make it even funnier when one gets blended (http://apple.slashdot.org/apple/07/07/11/1246250.shtml) :)