A few days ago my iPhone 13 battery swelled up and I thought I'd have to buy a new one. While checking the replacement cost I saw several Reddit posts saying Apple was giving iPhone 13 batteries for free.
To check, I visited the F1 Service Centre – they said there was no such scheme. Then I went to iDestiny, same answer. Feeling a bit annoyed I called Apple customer care. They talked to the service centre staff and got my phone accepted.
I dropped it off on 10 April and got it back on 21 April. I only paid a service charge of ₹1500 and the battery itself was free.
If your iPhone has a swollen battery, definitely get it checked.
P.S. My phone was out of warranty.
(https://i.ibb.co/XxGP68df/00afq1ela5xg1.jpg)
That's why getting a premium phone from a premium brand like Apple feels safer. My mom's Honor Play had a swollen battery back in 2019 and I replaced it at a local shop for ₹900 – it still works fine.
I wouldn't take my Samsung S24U to a local store, though, and I'm not sure if Samsung would replace it for free if the same problem shows up.
Does this free‑replacement scheme also work for the iPhone 15 Pro?
It's only for iPhone 13 models.
Is a swollen battery a must‑have condition to get the free replacement?
Do you need Apple Care Plus or any other plan for this?
I have a iPhone 13 Pro myself – can you tell me exactly how you managed the free replacement?
- Is there a specific condition they require?
- What did you say to the customer service rep on the call?
- Any reference or document you can share to show the agents?
My battery life is also poor now; it barely lasts half a day before I need to charge again.
P.S. My iPhone's battery isn't swollen.
There was a bad batch, so Apple offered free replacements for those. It's not a blanket policy for every model.
₹1500 service charge – that's the catch.
I think because a swollen battery is a safety risk, Apple prefers to replace it rather than risk an explosion or injury.
Can anyone confirm if Samsung offers a similar free‑replacement program for its flagship phones?