Apple says iPhones with third-party batteries now eligible for authorized repairs

“iPhones with aftermarket batteries installed by third-party repair shops are now eligible for service at Genius Bars and Apple Authorized Service Providers, according to an internal Apple document obtained by MacRumors from three reliable sources,” Joe Rossignol reports for MacRumors. “The change was first reported by French blog iGeneration.”
Rossignol reports, “This is significant news for iPhone repairs, as the Genius Bar and AASPs were previously instructed to deny service of any kind for an iPhone with a third-party battery, regardless of the circumstances.”
“If the repair is related to the battery itself, the Genius Bar and AASPs are now permitted to replace the third-party battery with an official Apple battery for the standard fee,” Rossignol reports. “If the iPhone’s battery tabs are broken or missing, or there is excessive adhesive, the Genius Bar and AASPs are permitted to replace the entire iPhone for only the cost of a battery replacement at their discretion.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Third-party batteries make us nervous. We expect Apple Store Geniuses and AASPs might be a bit skittish with this new policy, too.
Rossignol does report that those doing service must drain the third-party battery to less than 60 percent before replacing, so there’s that, at least.