Apple Agrees To Replace Faulty iPhone 5 Batteries

If you have an iPhone 5 and you think its just Tinder that's draining your battery, you may be in for a surprise. Apparently the model really does have a pathetically short battery life. And Apple has finally decided to do something about it.

The company is offering new batteries to replace those in what they call "a very small percentage" of iPhone 5 models bought between September 2012 and January 2013.

Customers began complaining about battery problems with the iPhone 5s back in October, shortly after it's release. The replacement process began late last week in the U.S. and China and will spread to other countries by the end of this week.

In an interview with Top Tech News, Atlanta-based tech analyst Jeff Kagen said that the like most of the company's technical glitches, this one will serve to inconvenience the customer much more so than the company.

"Apple has had several problems with the iPhone, yet they have not suffered at all. I don't think Apple will suffer this time, either," he said.

The company has set up a website to help iPhone 5 owners find out if they are eligible for a new battery: https://ssl.apple.com/support/iphone5-battery/.

But it's not all easy. Apple has also said that if your iPhone 5 has any damage, like a cracked screen, it will have to be fixed before the company will replace the battery.

After the battery has been replaced, Apple will guarantee the battery for two years after the device's initial retail sale, or until March 1, 2015.

Kagen added, "This battery problem will hopefully be resolved to make users' lives better. But the funny thing is I don't think it will matter to Apple one way or the other."

The iPhone 5 has in the past also been criticized for having a faulty sleep/wake button.