Apple kicked off a new program and is offering free battery replacements to select iPhone 5 owners whose smartphones are experiencing battery issues.
If your iPhone 5 has battery issues, Apple will offer you a battery replacement completely free of charge, provided that you meet the eligibility requirements. According to the company, only a small number of iPhone 5 units are affected.
"Apple has determined that a very small percentage of iPhone 5 devices may suddenly experience shorter battery life or need to be charged more frequently," the company reckons. "The affected iPhone 5 devices were sold between September 2012 and January 2013 and fall within a limited serial number range."
"If your iPhone 5 is experiencing these symptoms and meets the eligibility requirements noted below, Apple will replace your iPhone 5 battery, free of charge."
In order to be eligible to receive the free battery replacement, your iPhone 5 must be in working order and exhibit the symptoms detailed above.
This new battery replacement program for the iPhone 5 kicked off in the U.S. and China on Friday, Aug. 22, but will also be available in other countries starting next week, from Aug. 29.
To check whether your iPhone 5 is eligible for the program, head over to Apple's website at this link and enter the phone's serial number in the text box. Apple will tell you instantly whether the phone is eligible for the free battery replacement, as the affected units fall within a limited serial number range. If you don't know how to find your iPhone's serial number, head over to Apple's support pages here.
If your iPhone 5 is eligible for the free battery replacement, you have several options to get the job done. You can either go for an Apple Authorized Service Provider (list), an Apple Retail Store (appointments), or opt for Apple technical Support (contact).
Before handing over the phone for the battery replacement, Apple recommends a backup of all data stored on the device, turning off Find my iPhone, and erasing data and settings. For the latter, go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase all Content and Settings.
Apple further points out that if your iPhone 5 has a cracked screen or any other damage that may impair the battery replacement process, you have to fix the issue first.
Lastly, if your iPhone 5 would have been eligible for the free battery replacement, yet you paid for another battery before this program kicked off, you can contact Apple to receive a refund.
