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"iPod's Dirty Secret"

Posted by pudge on from the it-lasts-eighteeen-months-and-what-do-you-get? dept.

akpoff writes "Have you ever made a promise while in tech-support hell to let everyone know how bad the product is? The Neistat brothers followed through after the batteries in an iPod died and Apple told them it would cost US$250 to replace them. The tech rep told the guys they might as well buy a new iPod. The brothers thought differently and made a movie showing how they got the word out in a large metro area. Of course it was made on a Mac with iMovie." Their statement is a bit misleading: many people have iPods that have lasted a lot longer than 18 months (the iPod was released over two years ago). But the batteries don't last forever. What is their life expectancy? Does Apple notify consumers of a life expectancy?

7 of 262 comments (clear)

  1. Oh my gosh! by BobTheJanitor · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Batteries don't last for ever and it costs money to replace them!

    Seriously, what were they expecting? When I bought my iPod, I don't remember Apple ever saying they would replace the batteries for free, and I'm sure I don't recall them saying used magical batteries that never die.

    1. Re:Oh my gosh! by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      but of course, this will void your "warranty"

      Ugh. If your iPod is under warranty and the battery dies, Apple will fix it for free. No need to put in a 3rd party battery if the iPod is still under warranty.

      I told him the serial, he told me to frigg off.

      Apple states specifically that they don't support some types of G3's on some versions of OS X. For example OS X 10.3 requires a G3 with USB.

      If Apple states on the box that you need a certain hardware level to run a given version of the OS, I think they are well within their rights to tell you to 'frigg off'.

    2. Re:Oh my gosh! by BobTheJanitor · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yes, I think I would. For starters, they don't actually have to pay $250, as another poster here pointed out, it's actually $99. I'm willing to assume that when he called about getting the battery replaced he got someone new/clueless. Besides, 18 months is hardly 'a few months'. Why are people upset that Apple charges money to replace parts that aren't under warranty?

      IIt really sucks that his iPod battery died as quickly as it did, and it's unfortunate he ended up with an unknowledgeable person on his Tech support call, but they both seem to be isolated incidents. A friend of mine has had his iPod for at least that long and he doesn't have any problems with it.

  2. They must work for SCO by hobbestcat · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Apple's iPod support page says you can get your battery replaced for $99 - not cheap but not $250 either.

    PDA Smart offers $69 replacement service or a do-it-yourself kit for $59. Which Geek.com raved about

    If the guys can't Google, they shouldn't buy expensive toys.

  3. Idiots. by tdemark · · Score: 5, Informative

    The site was created in the last week.

    Days after Apple announced the $99 battery replacement policy.

    Months after www.ipodbattery.com offered $50 battery replacements.

  4. Replacement battery for $49 by potuncle · · Score: 5, Informative
    Ipodbattery.com offers replacement batteries for $49.00. Comes with instructions and tools.

    Like anyone thought that Apple could summons the power of the Almighty and create a Lithium-ion battery that lasts forever...

  5. I know how they feel! by Johnathon_Dough · · Score: 5, Funny
    I just recently bought a new car and I had to put gas in it after only 350 miles! They did not warn me about THAT at the dealership.

    Maybe I had better buy a new car?

    --
    If you are one in a million, then there are six thousand people who are just like you.