Apple has just announced a program for MacBook Pro battery replacement – potentially giving users a free new battery due to some technical issues.
Before you get too concerned, it’s important to state that the MacBook Pro battery replacement program is not due to a safety issue. However, anyone who bought a 13-inch MacBook Pro between October 2016 and October 2017 is invited to submit their machine’s serial number to see if they qualify for the battery replacement. The covered devices are the non-touch bar models only.
If you had already noticed battery issues with your MacBook Pro and paid for a replacement on your own, Apple is offering refunds as well – allowing most anyone who has an eligible device to take advantage of a brand new battery.
The reason for the battery replacement program are findings that a limited number of the 13-inch MacBook Pro units have a component that might fail and cause the built-in battery to expand. This may sound severe, but as mentioned above, it’s not a safety issue – just a problem that can affect the potency and life of the battery. Not all MacBook Pro models are affected, so you can enter your serial number on the Apple Support Page to see if you qualify for a battery replacement to address the expanding battery.
The description on the MacBook Pro battery replacement page reads:
“Apple has determined that, in a limited number of 13-inch MacBook Pro (non Touch Bar) units, a component may fail causing the built-in battery to expand. This is not a safety issue and Apple will replace eligible batteries, free of charge. Affected units were manufactured between October 2016 and October 2017 and eligibility is determined by the product serial number.”
Once you determine whether you are eligible for battery replacement, you will main your MacBook Pro into Apple, take it to an authorized service provider, or simply book an appointment at an Apple Store.
Fortunately, there’s not much of a rush to get the battery replaced as the program is running for 5 years – giving you plenty of time to get your device into the store for a brand new battery.
While the issues with the MacBook Pro battery are the most recent battery issues, the problem pales in comparison to the massive iPhone scandal that Apple is still struggling to recover from. After revealing that they were artificially throttling older iPhones due to protect aging batteries, the technology company found themselves on the receiving end of a number of lawsuits alleging that the company’s lack of transparency led to a loss of money for many iPhone users. Apple has since implemented a battery management feature that allows iPhone users to turn off the throttling themselves and they’ve offered discounted battery replacements, but many feel that it’s too little, too late. With the introduction of the MacBook Pro battery replacement program, Apple may be trying to preempt issues to avoid more negative press when they definitely can’t afford it.
