Apple has today started a replacement program for the iPhone XS Smart Battery Case and the iPhone XR Smart Battery Case. Apple says that units sold from January 2019 through October 2019 may experience charging issues due to a fault.
Affected units may exhibit issues like intermittent charging when plugged into power or the case simply not charging the iPhone at all. If you own one of these cases, you are now eligible to get a free replacement.
This replacement program covers the vast majority of iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max Smart Battery Cases. The start date for the eligibility window is January 2019, which is when the cases first went on sale.
Apple stresses that there is no safety issue here with the batteries, which means you don’t have to be concerned about fire risks if you don’t have the unit replaced. If there was a serious issue, Apple would have initiated a product recall rather than voluntary replacement program.
To get a replacement Smart Battery Case, contact an Apple authorized reseller or make an appointment at the Apple Store. See the support document for more information.
Apple says that units will be tested and verified for eligibility as part of the service but it does not say that it will only replace units that are currently exhibiting defects. This means if you have an iPhone XS or iPhone XR Smart Battery Case right now that is functioning normally, you should still consider arranging an appointment to get it swapped in case the problem arises in the future.
The replacement program covers Smart Battery Cases purchased for up to two years after the product was purchased.
