Don't upgrade your iPhone just because your battery is dying - get it repaired by Apple instead
- iPhone batteries often don't last as long as the rest of the device.
- You can get your iPhone's battery repaired for free with AppleCare+ instead of buying a new iPhone.
- If you don't have AppleCare+, it's still a lot cheaper to get your iPhone battery repaired from Apple.
For many iPhone owners, an older iPhone's battery life may start to give out before the performance of the phone itself slows down.
Indeed, smartphone batteries are notorious for having shorter lifespans than the devices they power. It can result in a phone that lasts just a few hours between charges compared to the full day of use you got when you first pulled your phone out of the box.
Meanwhile, your iPhone may still perform as well as you need it to, and you may not feel like you need to upgrade for the sake of performance.
With that in mind, if you're still happy with your iPhone's performance but it only lasts a few hours before it needs a charge, consider getting your iPhone's battery repaired or replaced for free if you have AppleCare+. Even if you don't have Apple Care+, getting your battery repaired or replaced through Apple will still be a fraction of the price of a new iPhone.
If you purchased AppleCare+ with your iPhone, and it's still under the two-year AppleCare+ protection, you can bring your iPhone to an Apple Store to get its battery repaired or replaced for free. If you're not close to an Apple Store, you can mail your iPhone in to Apple for a battery repair.
Apple will then test your iPhone's battery to see if it retains less than 80 percent of its original capacity. If your iPhone is only getting a few hours of battery life, it's likely that its battery has less than 80 percent of its original capacity. If the battery is fine, Apple will test to see if something else is causing your iPhone's battery to drain too quickly.
Otherwise, if you didn't get AppleCare+ and you're outside of the included one year warranty or AppleCare+'s two-year protection, it'll cost you a mere $80 to get the battery tested and replaced. Compare that $80 against the cost of a new iPhone and you have yourself a much better and cheaper option than buying a new iPhone simply because your current iPhone's battery is dying.
You can read more about Apple's iPhone battery repair and replacement program here.