When you purchase used iPhone, it is fairly common that the battery has aged, which causes iOS to throttle the hardware performance. Instead of experiencing buyer’s remorse, you need to consider your options, including replacing the old iPhone battery with a fresh one.
Confirm that the battery has aged
If your used iPhone was from four years ago or more, you shouldn’t expect to get a battery in prime condition. If the battery is bad enough, there could be message telling you that the battery can’t deliver the necessary power and the iPhone experiences a shutdown. When this happens, iOS will apply performance throttling to reduce power utilization. It is necessary to replace the battery if the performance degradation is bad enough that causes most apps to run sluggishly.
Replacement costs
Many people choose to buy used iPhone 7 or older, because they want to save money. Unfortunately, battery replacement will negate the initial savings. Depending on your country or region, the replacement cost could be higher than the value of the used iPhone. With many Apple official stores closed due to the ongoing lockdown, getting a replacement may not be the best option. Alternatively, you can purchase DIY replacement pack, so you can do it your own at home.
Should you do it yourself ?
It’s not an easy question to answer. But if you have a cheap iPhone that you can experiment with, you may consider replacing the battery on your own. iFixit battery replacement kit includes detailed instruction, although there are a few steps that can make any beginner feeling nervous. As an example, you need to use hair dryer to loosen the glue that holds the batter in place. This can be tricky because it takes high temperature to make the glue looser. On the other hand, we know that overheated battery can be prone to spontaneous ignition. When prying out the battery, make sure not to rip the black wrapping and make sure that there’s no puncture. Quickly move away if the battery is releasing smoke and hissing to prevent burn injuries. Overall, instructions from iFixit should be easy to follow and you need to remove only seven internal screws. Also, be sure to remove any trace if glue. When removing the display, it is important to be careful, because the screen protector can crack easily. With a new battery, your iPhone should run at full performance again. If your battery is already aged, you don’t need to worry about voiding the warranty. It is very likely that the 12-month warranty period already expire.
The decision to replace the battery should depend on the value and age of your iPhone. If you have recently purchased used iPhone, battery replacement could breathe new life into it. Without spending a fortune, you can get the old iPhone back up to speed. If it’s your main phone with important data and apps, you need to be sure that battery replacement is good idea. It is highly recommended to backup your data and contacts, before replacing the battery. If performed properly, battery replacement should be a low-risk task. Because it’s an old iPhone and you bought relatively cheaply, it shouldn’t be a huge financial loss. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 are still adequate for casual tasks when the perform at full capacity.
After replacing the battery, it is important to take care of it. Charge your iPhone only if the battery charge is less than 20 percent. If possible, you shouldn’t overcharge the battery and don’t charge the iPhone for more than ten hours. Despite their fast charging capability, long lasting life and high performance, most Lithium-ion battery will start to degrade after 2 years. At that time, your old iPhone could be so outdated that it no longer receives software support and is unable to run many apps at acceptable performance.
