Battery Replacement Has Gotten Pricier for Apple’s Latest iPhone 18 Pro Models
Swapping the battery on Apple’s newest flagship iPhone models just got a little more expensive. As noted by sites including MacRumors, the fee to replace the battery on the iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max has gone up by $10, from $119 to $129, compared to previous models (such as the iPhone 17 and iPhone 16 Pro and Max models or the iPhone Air).
Apple’s latest iPhone 18 Pro models feature larger battery capacities, which is likely behind the price increase.
Apple’s policy strongly pushes users toward official channels to get an iPhone battery replaced, whether in or out of warranty, by visiting an Apple store or Apple Authorized Service Provider, or by shipping the phone to an Apple Repair Center.
The critical metric in Apple’s policy is the 80% maximum capacity mark. Apple officially considers a battery “healthy” if it retains 80% or more of its original capacity. If you have an active AppleCare Plus plan and your battery health drops below 80%, Apple will replace the battery at no additional cost. But if your battery drops below 80% without AppleCare, you’ll have to pay out of pocket.
The standard one-year limited warranty doesn’t cover batteries that naturally wear down from everyday use.
According to its device pricing page, Apple can still replace batteries for much older devices, all the way back to the iPhone 6 and the original iPhone SE — those batteries are the cheapest at $69. The page also lists fix-it prices for rear glass or screen damage (or both), rear camera damage or “other damage.”
A representative for Apple did not immediately return a request for comment.
Why do batteries even wear out?
Along with phones from OnePlus and Motorola, the batteries on Apple’s high-end phones, like the Pro and Pro Max, do very well in testing. In recent years, smartphone-makers like Apple have continued to eke out additional battery life even as batteries shrink to accommodate new designs.
But advanced phones with up-to-date battery tech perform a wider array of energy-sucking tasks, functioning as cameras, wallets, GPS systems, AI data crunchers and more. That’s why most of us still complain about limitations and feel frustrated with our current phone’s battery life. A recent CNET survey found that better battery life is the top reason most people upgrade to a new device.
Turning off some features, such as widgets, animations or keyboard haptics, is one way to keep your device from draining its battery too quickly. You can also try to extend a smartphone’s battery life by using the phone’s battery optimizations, avoiding extreme temperatures that can damage the battery, and choosing a phone case that doesn’t trap heat.
But even with optimized charging settings, keeping your phone plugged in at 100% all night can wear out the battery faster. Overall, rechargeable batteries always degrade over time, reducing their capacity and, in some cases, requiring replacement.
Aren’t batteries getting cheaper?
You might think that with the increased popularity of electric vehicles and the ubiquity of smartphones and other battery-powered devices, there’s a shortage or price spike for batteries, as with other electronics components like memory and storage. But the opposite is actually true.
According to Bloomberg, battery prices were already dropping steeply late last year, and that trend continues as Chinese companies flood the market with cheaper batteries.
The price collapse is largely due to companies increasing battery production capacity over the last few years. Quartz reports that price drops also result from “a shift toward cheaper battery chemistry, a crash in lithium prices, and a decades-long accumulation of manufacturing improvements.”
Omar Gallaga has covered technology, digital culture and other topics for outlets including CNET, NPR, WIRED, Texas Monthly, MSNBC, Consumer Reports, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The Atlantic and the Austin American-Statesman, where he was a longtime tech reporter, editor and podcaster. He lives in the Texas Hill Country. See full bio
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