Apple admits fault in iPhone 5 battery

Apple has admitted a fault with the iPhone 5 battery, saying a “very small percentage” need to be charged more often than they should.

Apple is offering a replacement free of charge to anyone who bought an iPhone 5 between September 2012 and January 2013, so long as the serial number falls into the range listed here.

The fault had been widely reported in Apple’s own forums for the past two years, with iPhone 5 owners reporting the battery simply drains too quickly.

“Apple has determined that a very small percentage of iPhone 5 devices may suddenly experience shorter battery life or need to be charged more frequently,” Apple admitted in a statement on its website.

If you’ve already paid to replace an iPhone 5 battery, Apple will give you a refund.

The replacement batteries are already available in the US and China, and the process will start in the UK on 29 August. To get a new battery, you can take it into an authorised service provider or an Apple store, or send it in to Apple’s tech support.

Apple stressed the phone must be in working order, and the company will not replace batteries on handsets where the display is cracked – so you’ll have to fix it before getting the battery replaced. If you send it in with a smashed screen, Apple will charge you to fix it.

Apple also advised iPhone 5 owners to back up data, turn off Find my iPhone, and wipe data and settings first.

This isn’t the first time Apple has offered free work on an iPhone 5 due to a fault – nor the first iPhone to have battery issues. Earlier this year, Apple admitted the iPhone 5 sleep/wake button was faulty, offering free repairs or replacements. And last year, the iPhone 5s faced similar battery problems.