Apple has published short article today urging iPhone 6S customers to head back to the stores and get their batteries replaced, citing a manufacturing malfunction that affected 6S models made between September and October 2015.
The issue is not U. S.-exclusive, according to the document, and affects buyers worldwide. The website provides instructions on how to get the repair in most countries. This brief is the company’s first official mention and response to this particular problem.
As of today, there have not been lots of user reports concerning the issue, but the problem had already been noted by a Chinese consumer protection group a week before Apple announced the repair.
What is the problem with the iPhone 6S?
Apple says that anyone with an iPhone 6S purchased between September and October of last year could experience random shutdowns. Their phones could be functioning normally and turn off on their own, causing loss of data, among other things.
The company did not make any additional disclosure as to why this is happening, only noting that the solution is a battery replacement. There are currently no official details concerning the nature of the manufacturing malfunction.
They also failed to mention exactly how many phones present the problem, and which countries are most likely to be affected. They did note, however, that this was not a ‘safety issue,’ which is why they are urging users to do a repair instead of a worldwide recall.
How do I get my iPhone 6S fixed?
Apple is asking all users affected by this issue to head to an Apple Retail Store or Authorized Service Provider. Users must subject to a serial number check-up, which will determine if the company manufactured the phone during the period specified above.
This confirmation will help counter any instances of users trying to take advantage of the situation to obtain a battery replacement free of charge.
Apple technicians at the store might also do a preemptive internal check on the phone to confirm that it is in proper working condition.
In the United States, Apple customers have three options. They can go to an Authorized Service Provider, which is not necessarily an Apple store or make an appointment at one of the official Retail Stores closest to them.
The user must follow three steps before turning in their phones for repair. They must back up their data to iTunes or iCloud, Turn off the ‘Find my phone’ option on the Settings menu, and reset their phones using Settings > General > Reset > Erase all content and settings.
Customers that present additional issues that make the process of replacing the battery more difficult, such as a cracked screen, will have to get it repaired before they receive their new battery. Additional repair work is not free of charge.
If a user previously paid for this very repair, they can contact Apple for a refund. The program will cover iPhone 6S affected batteries for three years. Apple notes that this replacement does not extend the phone’s warranty.
Source: Apple