Apple explains why it prevents iPhone batteries from being repaired through third parties

Apple claimed the battery warning added to iOS is in the name of customer safety, and the company's response comes in response to criticism that it is trying to steer consumers toward more expensive battery alternatives.

Last week, independent repair shop iFixit discovered that Apple had impeded third-party iPhone battery repair by activating a software lock that enforces a new policy regarding replacement batteries on some recent iPhone models.

The software lock disables access to battery health data unless the replacement is installed by Apple or an authorized service provider, as (iPhone XS), (iPhone XR) and (iPhone XS Max) display a message stating that the battery needs service if not It is being replaced by Apple.

The message appears in (iOS 12) and (iOS 13 beta), regardless of whether an original Apple battery has been installed in the phone.

This feature appears to be intentional, as replacement batteries, which lack a Texas Instruments microcontroller with an Apple authentication key, are prevented from providing certain battery health data to users.

The message states that it is not possible to verify that this phone contains an original Apple battery, and the health information is not available for this battery, so the message replaces the percentage indicator that usually shows the health of the battery currently installed in the phone.

An Apple spokesperson said: We take the safety of our customers very seriously and want to make sure any battery replacement is performed correctly.

There are now more than 1,800 Apple Authorized Service Providers across the US, so our customers have easier access to quality repair centers.”

A company spokesperson explained that the feature was originally introduced last year to notify customers if Apple could not verify that a new original battery was installed by an authorized technician after Apple repairs, and is now being offered because Apple previously expanded its service network. approved.

This information is there to help protect our customers from damaged, poor quality or used batteries, which can lead to security or performance issues, and this warning does not affect the customer's ability to use the phone after an unauthorized repair.