Terrible iPhone battery life? Time is running out FAST to take advantage of Apple’s discount battery replacement

Apple's discounted battery replacement programme ends on December 31, 2018. The scheme was introduced in December last year following a backlash over the revelation that Apple intentionally slows down the performance of older iPhone models in order to prevent unexpected shutdowns when the chipset draws too much power from an ageing battery cell.

Apple slashed the price of its out-of-warranty battery replacement by £54 – from £79 to £25 – for anyone with an iPhone 6 or later whose battery needed to be replaced.

However, with the scheme now coming to an end, those who haven't already taken advantage of the reduced pricing should schedule an appointment with their local Genius Bar – or face a hefty bill in the new year.

• How to claim your free iPhone battery replacement
• 6 guaranteed ways to max your iPhone battery life

From January 1, 2019 onwards, Apple will start charging iPhone owners £45 for an out-of-warranty battery replacement. While that's still not as expensive as the £79 charge before the scheme was introduced last year, it's still enough of an increase that it's well worth scheduling your appointment this side of New Years Eve.

iPhone X battery replacements will increase from £25 to £65 from the beginning of next year. Apple does not explain why these models will be more expensive to repair, however, it's likely because of the unique L-shaped battery arrangement inside the handset that was introduced with the new design.

Of course, if your Apple smartphone is still in warranty, you should be able to get a battery replacement without paying anything at all. Apple offers a basic one-year warranty with all of its products that will cover the cost. Those who opted to pay for its AppleCare+ protection should have up to two years' protection.

• Book an iPhone battery replacement

If you have an iPhone 6 or a newer model and you're running iOS 11.3 or later, there is a simple check to find out whether the condition of your battery is forcing Apple to restrict the performance of your smartphone.

To check, head to Settings > Battery > Battery Health on your iPhone. This will tell you whether your battery is performing as normal, or whether "performance management" has been applied to your handset.

Remember, to be eligible for a discounted battery replacement from Apple, your iPhone can't have had any unauthorised repairs from third-parties, or your own fair hand – and if your handset has other damage, like a smashed screen, you'll need to get that fixed before Apple Support will go ahead with the battery replacement.

One last thing – before heading into the Apple Store, be sure to backup your iPhone to iCloud, turn off Find my iPhone, and erase all the data stored on the device by heading to Settings > General > Reset > Erase all Content and Settings.