iPod Battery Replacements and Q&A

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iPod Battery Q&A

1. Are iPod batteries replaceable?

Yes they are. Apple has a battery replacement program http://depot.info.apple.com/ipod which requires the customer to send in the iPod. Once the iPod has been sent in, Apple will replace the battery for $59.00 (plus shipping and handling fees). Actually, Apple replaces the entire iPod with a new model or a factory refurbished model in a brand new case. If the iPod did have a personalized engraving on it done by Apple then it will be engraved with he same message again. This service is also available at all Apple retail
locations http://www.apple.com/retail.

There are other services that perform battery replacement, one of the more popular ones is the battery replacement service through ipodmechanic.com.

2. How do I contact Apple service/support?

There are several ways to contact Apple service/support.
By phone within the United States: 1-800-APL-CARE.
By visiting any apple retail location http://www.apple.com/retail
By Visiting any authorized Apple service provider http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/service.html

3. How much does battery replacement cost?

Apple Charges $59.00 plus shipping and handling fees for their battery replacement service http://depot.info.apple.com/ipod.

4. Are there third party companies that perform battery replacement?

Yes, there are many third party companies that will either send you a battery for self installation or have you send in your iPod for professional installation of a replacement battery. One of the more popular and efficient services can be found at iPod Mechanic.

5. How can I send in my iPod for battery replacement?

You can send the iPod in through Apple’s official battery replacement program http://depot.info.apple.com/ipod. Or you can send it in through any number of third party companies, many of which are cheaper and faster than Apple. One of the better and more popular services is the battery replacement service through ipodmechanic.com.

6. What is my iPod’s warranty? Is the battery covered?

All iPods have a warranty of one year. The battery is included in this one year warranty, you can check your iPod warranty at http://www.apple.com/support.

7. How long will battery replacement take

Apple’s battery replacement service for non-personalized iPods takes one week from the day that the iPod arrives at the Apple facility. For personalized iPods the service takes two to three weeks from the day that the iPod arrives at the facility.
Third party establishments, such as iPod Mechanic, are much faster. iPod Mechanic has a 24 hour turn around service on all battery replacements.

8. Will the iPod’s battery degrade with time/use?

Yes, the iPod battery will degrade over time and with each use it will hold less and less of a charge. This is true of all lithium batteries and should not be considered unique to the iPod. Heavy users may notice the minute degradation, but most casual users will not. This is the same type of degradation that is seen in all batteries.

9. Is it true that iPod batteries have a life span of only eighteen months?

No, the bulk of all iPods, even the earliest models, continue to function with no problems whatsoever. Some iPods, based on age and amount of use, will have more battery degradation than others. Lithium ion batteries are good for about 300 to 500 charge/discharge cycles. Some customers may experience more degradation if they are using their iPods and or charging/discharging them more frequently than others.

If the battery does eventually fail and the iPod is no longer under its original one year warranty, you can send it in under the Apple battery replacement program http://depot.info.apple.com/ipod or you can contact a third party provider such as iPod Mechanic.

10. How many hours of playing time should I expect from my battery?

Fifth Generation iPod 80 GB
Up to 20 hours of music playtime when fully charged.
Up to 6 hours of Photo slideshow and music playtime when fully charged.
Up to 6.5 hours of video playtime when fully charged.

Fifth Generation iPod 30 GB
Up to 14 hours of music playtime when fully charged.
Up to 4 hours of photo slideshow and music playtime when fully charged.
Up to 3.5 hours of video playtime when fully charged.

Fifth Generation iPod (iPod with video) 60 GB
Up to 20 hours of music playtime when fully charged.
Up to 4 hours of photo slideshow and music playtime when fully charged.
Up to 3 hours of video playtime when fully charged.

Fifth Generation iPod (video iPod) 30 GB
Up to 14 hours of music playtime when fully charged
Up to 3 hours of photo slideshow and music playtime when fully charged.
Up to 2 hours of video playtime when fully charged.

iPod nano (Second Generation)
Up to 24 hours of music playtime when fully charged
Up to 5 hours of photo slideshow and music playtime when fully charged

iPod nano
Up to 14 hours of music playtime when fully charged
Up to 4 hours of photo slideshow and music playtime when fully charged

iPod with color display
Up to 15 hours of music playtime.

iPod mini (Second Generation)
Up to 18 hours of music playtime.

iPod (Click Wheel) and iPod shuffle
Up to 12 hours of music playtime

iPod mini
Up to 8 hours of music playtime.

Older iPod models, including iPod (scroll wheel), iPod (touch wheel), and iPod (dock connector)
Up to 8 hours of music playtime.

11. How can I make my battery last longer?

You can optimize your battery life in a number of ways. The first and most obvious way is to turn off and “hold” your iPod when it is not in use. Turning the hold switch to the on position (the orange will show at the top) will ensure that your iPod will not turn on accidentally and drain your battery life.

The second way to make your battery last longer is to make your backlight time shorter. Every time the backlight is on on your iPod it is using battery power. You can go into the settings on your iPod and switch the backlight timer to a lower setting. This will preserve your battery life.

Adding EQs to any song uses more of your iPod processing capability, since EQ’s are not encoded in the song. Turn your EQ off if you don’t use it. Turning these off will preserve your battery life.

12. How can I get more playtime from a “degraded” battery?

Make sure you have the newest versions of Apple software installed on your iPod. These can be found here http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=60944.
Always keep your iPod at room temperature. The ideal temperature is about 72°F (22°C).
Charge your iPod’s battery as soon as it becomes fully discharged.
Never charge the battery while in a carrying case.
A fully charged battery will degrade faster than one that sees some use. So allowing a battery to sit for long periods in a fully charged state will cause it to degrade faster.

13. What temperatures are safe for my iPod battery?

iPods work best in temperatures ranging from 32° to 95°F. You should not store it in environments of -4° to 113°. That’s 0° to 35°C and -20° to 45° in metric temperature. Keep your iPod as near to room temperature as possible. 72°F (22°C) is ideal.

14. Is it okay to leave my iPod connected to a charging device for long periods of time?

It all really depends on how long it is being charged for. Technically the iPod’s circuitry will stop charging as soon as the battery is fully charged, however if you are leaving the battery on its charger at all times and the battery is always in a fully charged state then it will degrade quicker than a battery that sees use and goes through charge and discharge cycles. It is best to use the battery until it has zero power and then to charge it up fully, thus completing a full charge/discharge cycle.

15. What model iPod do I have?

You can see which model of iPod you have by visiting http://www.apple.com/support and entering the serial number into the correct place. Doing this will also tell you the status of your warranty and other service feattures that apple has for your particular iPod.

16. What do the terms 1G, 2G (first generation, second generation) etc. mean?

These terms determine the “generation” of an iPod. So 1G means first generation etc. Each generation represents a different model of iPod. Each generation has specific and unique features, appearance, size, shape, etc.

17. What type of battery does the iPod use?

All iPods use lithium ion batteries. These are the same types of batteries found in most high end electronics from laptops to many digital cameras. Here is a breakdown of the specific model of batteries used by each generation.

1G and 2G iPods use a Sony UP325385 A4H 3.7V 1230 mAh Lithium ion polymer battery.
3G iPods use a 3.7V 630 mAh Lithium ion battery
The 1G iPod mini uses a Sanyo EC003 3.7V 400 mAh Lithium ion battery.
iPod Mechanic.com sells high capacity batteries for each model.

18. Can other batteries be used?

Yes there are many high capacity or “ Supercharged” batteries that can be used to increase battery life these high capacity batteries can be purchased and installed.

19. Why did Apple choose these batteries?

Apple has chosen the best and most cost effective lithium ion batteries currently on the market. For the job that they do there is no finer battery technology. These batteries are the same technology as those found in laptops, cell phones, and some digital cameras. Generally these batteries last for the entire life of the iPod and are quite durable.

20. At what point does Apple deem a battery “defective,” and thus replaceable free of charge?

Apple states in their “Applecare Protection Plan” that a battery can be considered defective when "the capacity of the iPod battery to hold an electrical charge has depleted 50% or more from its original specification." What this means is that if you take your iPod into any apple retail location they will test the battery and will see if it is at fifty percent capacity. If it is then they will replace it free of charge.

21. How can I see if my iPod is under warranty, or apple care?

Simply go to http://www.apple.com/support and on the right hand side of the page you will find a section titled “About my support coverage.” In this section you can enter the serial number of your iPod and the website will tell you all of the details regarding your warranty coverage. They will tell you how many days you have left on your warranty as well as any other special information regarding the care and coverage of your iPod.