Access To battery on iPhone4

Deep Thought

Hi

Does anyone know if the new iPhone4 has a removable back?

I thought it was removable so you could replace the battery, but am not sure now.

Anyone know ?

whiterebel

No.

henryporter

Another reason to avoid Apple products - might look sexy, but not very well thought out!

djgaillimh

henryporter wrote: »

Another reason to avoid Apple products - might look sexy, but not very well thought out!

To replace the battery you have to send it to Apple and have them do it at a cost of $79.

I'd say it's a very well thought out policy!

Victor_M

Why would you want to do that?
n the 15 years I've been using a mobile phone I've never once replaced or changed the battery in a mobile phone, this is just the latest mantra for the Anti Apple brigade to rant on about (used to be lack of the pointless (IMO) MMS that they ranted about).
Keep the phone charged, it's not like there's a shortage of peripherals available to charge it. Modern battery life usually far exceeds the life of the product itself.

Tom Dunne

My 2 year old 1st Gen iPhone's battery is still going strong.

IamMetaldave

The battery argument is the biggest pile of balls ever! Like Victor says, I've never had to change a mobile phone battery in all my years using them. And there are many places that will change your battery for a shed load less than $79!

jenno86

The only time I've had to replace a battery for my phone was when I was drunk in a nightclub and dropped my phone, the back cam flying off and the battery popped out to never to be seen again!

jester77

I don't get all this hullaballoo about not being able to change the battery. I know of no one that carries a spare battery with them. I've never changed the battery on any phone I've used in the last 14 years and the only time I ever had to take off the cover was to insert a SIM or take out the battery because the phone decided to hang (happened on a few nokias I had). Very few people keep a phone longer than 2 years and the batteries are still working fine at that stage.

Apple have said that they have done surveys on this and they have come up with the same conclusion. This allowed them to optimise the space in the phone by not having to design a backcover release system and having to place the battery in a particular location for easy removal.

If someone happens to be one of the small % of people that needs to carry a replacement battery then the iphone is obviously not the device for them.

Captain Chaos

If the battery life wasn't so bad it would be a non issue but as it is I'd love to be able to swap batteries on the go.

Most days during the week I'm lucky to get a full 24hrs from it and if I forget to charge it one night I have no phone the next day.

Give me back my K750i, a week on one charge and I still have most of the things I need on it.

IamMetaldave

Captain Chaos wrote: »

Give me back my K750i, a week on one charge and I still have most of the things I need on it.

If it gets to you that much go back to your other phone... I'd never use any device that caused me such problems.

The fact that everyone knows full well when getting an iPhone that they can't change batteries themselves makes this argument even more pointless.

Kimono-Girl

Captain Chaos wrote: »

If the battery life wasn't so bad .

i can't understand this arguement, firstly the iphone charges when you connect it via USB and charger so how is the battery life bad when you have two ways of easy charging daily and i connect mine up daily to change/add music apps etc...because it comes with a usb charger cable you can easily get a cigerette lighter usb connection charger for when your out and about and plug in your usb cable!

Captain Chaos wrote: »

Most days during the week I'm lucky to get a full 24hrs from it and if I forget to charge it one night I have no phone the next day.

technically if you forget to charge it thats your fault not the iphones they give you many charging options as above!
i have had numerous phones which you could charge once a week but if *i* forgot to charge it i had no phone the next day either!:rolleyes:

djgaillimh

Captain Chaos wrote: »

Most days during the week I'm lucky to get a full 24hrs from it and if I forget to charge it one night I have no phone the next day.

Same with all current-gen smartphones. That's why it's great if you're at a festival or away for a weekend and you can just swap in a new battery.

With regards the 'battery argument is bull****' posts above, well, it's not. It's brought up so much because it's symptomatic of the bigger issue.

I think Apple make some cool products, but I wouldn't buy any of them. The whole closed ecosystem Jobs is creating has very little to do with providing customers with the best possible experience and product... it smacks of greed and cynicism.

It's about ensuring that nobody makes money from Apple products but Apple. You may say that's their prerogative, but the end result is less choice for you and me. And with limited competition, it ensures that Apple can continue charging you a premium for services and accessories (see the $79 battery point above - how else could they get away with that extortionate price?)

And yes I know it's the same tired argument that's rehashed everywhere, but it's only becoming more valid as the years go by (check out their new advertising terms if you need an example).

But, like I said, they make some cool gadgets so I guess this stuff will be irrelevant to most people.

Victor_M

Captain Chaos wrote: »

If the battery life wasn't so bad it would be a non issue but as it is I'd love to be able to swap batteries on the go.

Most days during the week I'm lucky to get a full 24hrs from it and if I forget to charge it one night I have no phone the next day.

Give me back my K750i, a week on one charge and I still have most of the things I need on it.

If you forget to charge your other phone with replaceable battery you'll have the same problem too.

I've had 3 SE phones and I recently went back to the SEK800i for a few weeks in China, it was such a painful step backwards, granted the battery lasted much longer, mainly because I never did anything other that make and receive calls on it, even texting T9 style nearly brought a tear to my eyes.

If battery life is your number 1 priority stay away from smart phones, because, despite the commentary from the anti Apple ranters all smart phones have batteries that last less than regular phones due to the massive screens and increased functionality.

I find it hilarious the pro android anti Apple brigade that have appeared out of the wood work in the last 12 months, does anyone remember how dull the mobile phone market was before iPhone OS came along & (symbian, WM6 they were horrible) raised the bar and made all manufacturers pull up their socks.

Nokia are still in the dark ages, all of the Nokia fanboi's seem to have migrated to Android, brought together by their common, irrational hatred of Apple.

djgaillimh

Victor_M wrote: »

I find it hilarious the pro android anti Apple brigade that have appeared out of the wood work in the last 12 months, does anyone remember how dull the mobile phone market was before iPhone OS came along & (symbian, WM6 they were horrible) raised the bar and made all manufacturers pull up their socks.

I'm an Android man, or mandroid, if you like, and I totally agree with this.

If it wasn't for Apple I would not currently have a 12mm thick smartphone with a capacitive touchscreen and a zillion cool little features.

I'm glad they're out there, forcing others to make things as thin and polished as possible. It's their business plan that most of us object to, not necessarily the products themselves.

Heliosvector

djgaillimh wrote: »

Same with all current-gen smartphones. That's why it's great if you're at a festival or away for a weekend and you can just swap in a new battery.

With regards the 'battery argument is bull****' posts above, well, it's not. It's brought up so much because it's symptomatic of the bigger issue.

I think Apple make some cool products, but I wouldn't buy any of them. The whole closed ecosystem Jobs is creating has very little to do with providing customers with the best possible experience and product... it smacks of greed and cynicism.

It's about ensuring that nobody makes money from Apple products but Apple. You may say that's their prerogative, but the end result is less choice for you and me. And with limited competition, it ensures that Apple can continue charging you a premium for services and accessories (see the $79 battery point above - how else could they get away with that extortionate price?)

And yes I know it's the same tired argument that's rehashed everywhere, but it's only becoming more valid as the years go by (check out their new advertising terms if you need an example).

But, like I said, they make some cool gadgets so I guess this stuff will be irrelevant to most people.

I dont know if you have ever tried to buy a battery for a phone, but they are not cheap. ones comparable in size to the iphones cost around 50 euro on their own. add shipping and assembly into it and 79euro is not that much.
Someone said above that apple products are no very well thought out, that would be the farthest from the truth. I mean just look at the new iphone. They have utelised the space so well, that even the chasis served a mechanical purpose (antenna).

And for the carnival side of things, most big concert events now have a store that you can go into and they will take your phone to charge it for you, give you a ticket and you come back in a few hours to pick up your fully charged phone (this was the case for download in england and Oxegen in ireland)

whiterebel

Heliosvector wrote: »

I dont know if you have ever tried to buy a battery for a phone, but they are not cheap. ones comparable in size to the iphones cost around 50 euro on their own. add shipping and assembly into it and 79euro is not that much.
Someone said above that apple products are no very well thought out, that would be the farthest from the truth. I mean just look at the new iphone. They have utelised the space so well, that even the chasis served a mechanical purpose (antenna).

And for the carnival side of things, most big concert events now have a store that you can go into and they will take your phone to charge it for you, give you a ticket and you come back in a few hours to pick up your fully charged phone (this was the case for download in england and Oxegen in ireland)

Plus all the little recharging kits that run of AA batteries and will give near enough a full charge, hardly take up any space either.

Heliosvector

whiterebel wrote: »

Plus all the little recharging kits that run of AA batteries and will give near enough a full charge, hardly take up any space either.

yes thats a good point too. the charging unti would probably cost less than the second battery so there you go. also if they made it into a removable back, they would have to put covers onto the internal parts so you would not short them when inserting a new battery. this would add cost, weight and take up space. It would also add mosre insulation to the phone, causing it to overheat easier

Victor_M

See this thread I started about the Aldi Solar charger available today

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055930767

Heliosvector

Victor_M wrote: »

See this thread I started about the Aldi Solar charger available today

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055930767

thats pretty cool. heavy though

Owen

I use my phone a lot, and the 3gs is generally fine for me. I turn off location services, push notifications and wifi/bluetooth/data when I'm not using them. I can get a full day no probs, a day and a half even when I stretch it. I have a Philips battery pack with me most days in case it's an emergency, it's a battery you charge, and in turn it can recharge an iPhone or any USB device.

The iPhone 4 has some serious battery life claims, will be interesting to see how it stands up.

happyeveryday

So the answer to the OP's question is No.

whiterebel

happyeveryday wrote: »

So the answer to the OP's question is No.

Believe it or not, exactly my answer in the second post.....:p

djgaillimh

Heliosvector wrote: »

I dont know if you have ever tried to buy a battery for a phone, but they are not cheap. ones comparable in size to the iphones cost around 50 euro on their own. add shipping and assembly into it and 79euro is not that much.

I'm not making an Apple v Android point here, but I'm not sure where you're getting that info from. The official 1400mAh HTC battery for Desire cost me £24 from MobileFun, and those are larger than the old iPhone batteries, and roughly equivalent in capacity to the new ones.


Naturally if you go via the HTC site it'll cost you an extra tenner, which is why it's good to have third-parties with competitive prices.

I actually excluded shipping from the price I quoted btw, that costs an extra $6.95... point is that you shouldn't have to pay shipping and assembly for something so simple.

Heliosvector

djgaillimh wrote: »

I'm not making an Apple v Android point here, but I'm not sure where you're getting that info from. The official 1400mAh HTC battery for Desire cost me £24 from MobileFun, and those are larger than the old iPhone batteries, and roughly equivalent in capacity to the new ones.


Naturally if you go via the HTC site it'll cost you an extra tenner, which is why it's good to have third-parties with competitive prices.

I actually excluded shipping from the price I quoted btw, that costs an extra $6.95... point is that you shouldn't have to pay shipping and assembly for something so simple.

maybe it is a bit pricey, but they do have to do quite a bit. the iphone is a sealed device, so they must break the seal, undo the battery (is it soldered in?) and then reseal it. since they opened it, the phone has to go through a simple diagnostics to make sure its ok being sent back.

anyways this whole thing is pointless now since batteries dont really ever need to be taken out and replaced. its also a matter of integrity. if they made the phone "openable" then it would probably fall apart every time it is dropped just like every other phone out there, making the helicopter windshield glass front and back and steel chassis kinda pointless

Basq

I've a 2G iPhone that's over 2 years old.. and I still get a good 2 - 3 days out of a full battery!

That's with WiFi and Bluetooth off mind.

ApplefyMe

henryporter wrote: »

Another reason to avoid Apple products - might look sexy, but not very well thought out!

That is just plain wrong.Why would you be wanting to access the battery anyway?The sim isn't behind it and theres no sd card slot there either.Many depleted and broken batteries are down to overcharging and plain abuse.Theres no benefit in making it accessible.

Regarding the €79 charge for replacement.I could be wrong but I think it's €99 at least thats what the ipod touch battery replacement scheme is.You only need to pay this if you are out of warranty or have physically abused the product.

**Always remember you have a right to 2 years warranty to Apple products due to EU legislation even if they only say its 1, it applies to most electrical goods being sold in the EU**

whiterebel

ApplefyMe wrote: »

That is just plain wrong.Why would you be wanting to access the battery anyway?The sim isn't behind it and theres no sd card slot there either.Many depleted and broken batteries are down to overcharging and plain abuse.Theres no benefit in making it accessible.

Regarding the €79 charge for replacement.I could be wrong but I think it's €99 at least thats what the ipod touch battery replacement scheme is.You only need to pay this if you are out of warranty or have physically abused the product.

**Always remember you have a right to 2 years warranty to Apple products due to EU legislation even if they only say its 1, it applies to most electrical goods being sold in the EU**

There isn't a 2 year warranty in Ireland. We didn't ratify the 2 year part, because we believe the Sale of Goods Act affords more protection. And seeing as Ireland is Apple's sales point, the SoG Act is what applies.

MACHEAD

In reply to poster Heliosvector above I've never actually yet had the oppertunity to have a rummage around inside an iPhone, but I should think it's highly unlikely that the batteries are solered in. By dfenition that would mean it has to unsoldered to be replaced. The last thing Apple would want is anyone (even certified technicians) applying a soldereing iron to an intricate device such as the iPhone. Yes Apple have a very 'closed shop' approach to servicing and repairs, but it's incredibly expensive to gain the required certification to work on Apple hardware. I've tried to self teach my self as much of the hardware training as possible. My employer will only pay for the software support courses I have to go on 2 - 3 times a year.

ApplefyMe

whiterebel wrote: »

There isn't a 2 year warranty in Ireland. We didn't ratify the 2 year part, because we believe the Sale of Goods Act affords more protection. And seeing as Ireland is Apple's sales point, the SoG Act is what applies.

It does apply in Ireland.Article 5 of the EU Product Warranty Directive (1999).It only applies to retailers however that's the only problem!Thus get your machines in Apple Premium Resellers!

whiterebel

I don't know what difference it makes being retailers, but there is no 2 year warranty in Ireland. Check with NCA or the ECC if you like, they will confirm it.

ApplefyMe

whiterebel wrote: »

I don't know what difference it makes being retailers, but there is no 2 year warranty in Ireland. Check with NCA or the ECC if you like, they will confirm it.

The difference is that they are the last link in the chain thus the EU and national legislations hit the retailers and/or whoever sold the product to the customer directly with this kind of legislation.The retailer then goes back to the wholesaler to be redressed and the supplier then goes to the manufacturer etc...There are steps in place for each player in the channel of distribution to be redressed but unfortunately 9/10 the retailer will have sold the good to the consumer and are punished first even if the fault has nothing to do with them.

Here is the link http://www.eccireland.ie/faq.php?topic=13&item=21

hit the Sale of goods and associated guarantees directive 99/44/EC link and read article 5 and 6

whiterebel

ApplefyMe wrote: »

The difference is that they are the last link in the chain thus the EU and national legislations hit the retailers and/or whoever sold the product to the customer directly with this kind of legislation.The retailer then goes back to the wholesaler to be redressed and the supplier then goes to the manufacturer etc...There are steps in place for each player in the channel of distribution to be redressed but unfortunately 9/10 the retailer will have sold the good to the consumer and are punished first even if the fault has nothing to do with them.

Here is the link http://www.eccireland.ie/faq.php?topic=13&item=21

hit the Sale of goods and associated guarantees directive 99/44/EC link and read article 5 and 6

I still don't see why you think Apple resellers would be different - they are retailers, and your contract is with them. I'm not bringing this any further off topic. Do yourself a favour and ring the ECC and ask them if the regulation applies here. It doesn't because we never ratified the 2 years. If it was in force here, don't you think the NCA would point to it on their website? No they don't, they refer you to the Sale of Goods Act.

ApplefyMe

Ya and I said to buy from APR's in one of my previous posts because they are retailers.

Deep Thought

Thanks for all the comments and the answer is NO

Was just asking,

Never had a problem with my 3GS batterywise.

Wibbs

MACHEAD wrote: »

In reply to poster Heliosvector above I've never actually yet had the oppertunity to have a rummage around inside an iPhone, but I should think it's highly unlikely that the batteries are solered in. By dfenition that would mean it has to unsoldered to be replaced. The last thing Apple would want is anyone (even certified technicians) applying a soldereing iron to an intricate device such as the iPhone. Yes Apple have a very 'closed shop' approach to servicing and repairs, but it's incredibly expensive to gain the required certification to work on Apple hardware. I've tried to self teach my self as much of the hardware training as possible. My employer will only pay for the software support courses I have to go on 2 - 3 times a year.

Well the two Ive taken apart(both 2G's) the battery was indeed soldered in. They are an almighty bitch to crack open(like all of the iPods too) and they are very easy to bugger up getting back together. Now you can change the battery yourself if youre anyway handy and its outa warranty, but its not for the faint hearted. Kinda like many of their products. They're designed to be a one stop shop integrated product for the end user. Not the technician or the home fiddler type.