Apple’s iPhone 5 battery replacement program now live in Canada

Smartphone users are used to charging their phones every day, but Apple is acknowledging that some iPhone 5 users may be topping up more than normal these days. The company recently revealed that a small number of people are experiencing poor battery life on the nearly two year-old device.

Though the issue apparently only affects a tiny percentage of users, Apple has been offering replacement batteries to those who qualify, and today the program is open to Canadians. To check if you’re eligible, hit up Apple’s website and plug your serial number into the field provided.

Apple hasn’t offered any other information about the underlying cause of this problem, but this isn’t the first time the Cupertino-based company has had issues with iPhone batteries. Soon after the iPhone 5s launched last year, Apple confirmed that a “limited number” of units were impacted by a manufacturing issue that saw batteries take longer to charge or not hold a full charge.

Unfortunately, it seems your mileage may vary, even if you do qualify for this replacement program. According to one Australian news site, some users with affected devices are being asked to pay for replacements. An iPhone 5 user told news.com.au that her phone’s serial number returned an eligible verdict on Apple’s website, however, when Apple tested her battery in the store, she was told her battery was ‘borderline’ defective and asked to pay the $99 fee for a replacement.

If Apple is willing to replace your battery free of charge, you’ll be expected to back up your data, turn off Find My iPhone, and erase all of your content and settings before the work is done. Apple’s replacement program page also notes that if your iPhone has any damage, such as a cracked screen, that issue will need to be resolved prior to the battery replacement because it could impair the replacement process.

[source]Apple, news.com.au[/source]