According to Apple on its support website, those users who are experiencing poor battery life can get their device’s battery replaced free of charge, provided their iPhone is eligible for the replacement. Under the “iPhone 5 Battery Replacement Program”, those devices which were sold between September 2012 and January 2013 are affected, according to Apple.
You can check eligibility on Apple’s website by simply entering your serial number. As of the time of writing, the program has been launched in China and the U.S.A only, with scheduled launch in other international countries on August 29th. Symptoms of the battery issue include “shorter battery life or [the] need to be charged more frequently.” The program doesn’t affect the general warranty for your iPhone 5, but Apple will offer replacement batteries up to two years after you’ve purchased your iPhone, or March 1, 2015. Users can either get their iPhone 5 battery replaced by either taking their iPhone 5 to an Apple Authorized Service Provider, or by setting up an appointment with an Apple Retail Store. You can also get info regarding the battery replacement by contacting Apple’s Technical Support. You should know though, even if your serial number is eligible, Apple will first examine your phone before replacing your battery. If your iPhone has any damages that will prevent the proper replacement of the battery, such as a cracked screen etc., you’ll have to first pay for the expenses of the damages to get them fixed before getting your free battery replacement. Before sending in your device for any repairs or replacements, we always recommend you have a backup of your device on your PC/Mac. As mentioned above, simply open up this link to check whether your device is eligible for the battery replacement program or not. Simply select your country and enter your iPhone 5’s serial number to check eligibility.