They should offer the replacement in store. 3 days without a phone is ludicrous.

No, the battery should not be given away for free unless the battery is defective. Batteries don't last forever period end of story. Yes, the battery, if not user replaceable, should be able to be done at any AT&T or Apple store. The whole sending it into Apple is ridiculous, as other have said, this is not an iPod, it's a phone, and many no longer have land-lines. A loaner iPhone that you can just sync with iTunes is a good idea, but this should be just that, a loaner, not a rental. This is not an unreasonable request, Apple can do better.

The devices are exactly three years old and we're discussing a problem that will not surface until at least two years from now!

In general, whenever someone points out a flaw in something and then picks it apart and beats it to death, usually, they cannot afford that something but would love to. Oftentimes, it is called "sour grapes".

Much like the iPod battery issue did nothing to hurt its image (or quality, or usability), neither will it do anything meaningful to the iPhone.

There will be plenty of solutions: have Apple replace it; take it to Chinatown and have them replace it with an after-market model; order a cheap after-market kit and do it yourself. Each one is cheaper than the previous and you should have plenty of options if you ever get there.

Based on the people's usual phone replacement cycles (including those first $600 RAZRs), you'll have a newer iPhone before its battery goes dead anyway.

I have the perfect solution for you... If you don't like their terms... don't buy it. This is not a necessity, it is a choice you make...

I think you might be happier holding out for your ZunePhone...

and you Testudo... same for you, except also, please kill self...

Are the Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights on drugs ???

Name me one mobile phone company that provides free batteries for the life of the phone .. Nokia ? yeh right ..

Idiots with nothing better to do with their time ..

Now dont get me wrong .. Apple's choice to make a phone with a non user replaceable battery is strange .. but if the device does 1/2 of what the hype shows and from user reviews it would seem it does then thats a small inconvenience to pay for a revolutionary device.

Besides of all my phones over the last 3-4 years I can't remember the last one I bought a spare battery for or ever ran out ... I check a new phone after the first weel or so for what life the battery gives me before going flat , I then charge it based on that.

My current Moto phone I plug in every 2nd day .. and thats with bluetooth on 24hours and a 3G phone.

Are the Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights on drugs ???

Name me one mobile phone company that provides free batteries for the life of the phone .. Nokia ? yeh right ..

Wow, its amazing how uneducated most mac users apparently are. Maybe you should study 'comprehension' in school or something (I know, its all because they don't have macs in schools, right).

The group isn't asking for free replacement batteries. They want Apple and AT&T to offer free replacement OF batteries. All other mobile phones, if you need a new battery, you pay for the battery. With apple, you're paying for the battery AND for them to replace it.

But you all are paying for the style, so you should suffer for its effects.

and you Testudo... same for you, except also, please kill self...

Yeah, mac folks. There's a group of reasonable people for you. If you're not 100% pro-apple in your speak, they want you to commit suicide.

Hey, I'd do it dwoodruff, but it would make you happy, and why would I want to do that to someone who would wish harm to someone just because he agrees with some complaints about the lack of replaceable battery in a phone?

i do without my truck on a regular basis, these days. i also own a bicycle.

The truck analogy was silly because when the battery in my truck dies 1) I can easily replace it myself, 2) I can do it that day, and 3) I have many battery options to choose from. Moreover, for the price of the iPhone battery I could pay somebody else to replace my truck battery even though the truck was designed so I could do it myself.

On top of that when changing my battery in my truck, there is no shipping fee, which in the case of the iPhone reeks of nickel and diming a person to death. Apple would have been better served to charge a higher flat rate that included shipping and handling.

iresq already offers a cheaper solution. $79 dollars, shipping included, two days service time (including the day it takes for them to send you a custom shipping box).

http://www.iresq.com/iphone/detail.php?prodID=P011029

a couple of important points here. 1.) This ain't no free cheapy cell phone that will get exchanged every year. My guess is a large number of people will be holding on to this thing for a bit more than a year. (Some a fair bit more!) 2.) This thing also uses a heck of a lot more juice to run the wifi, apps, and massif colour screen, so you can bet your recharging cycles are going to become much more frequent over a shorter period of time. Maybe that isn't a concern for the urban-bound fashionista who spends more time playing with it, but those of us who really put these devices to work will notice it.

Yes, one can charge the thing up overnight in the hotel (as I do now), but a long 12-14 hour day with plenty of use could catch you stranded in the field. It's happened to me before. Having a fully charged replacement battery in my bag has always saved the day though. As a rule, I carry two.

Quite simply put, it was very arrogant of Apple not to design this iPhone with user replaceable batteries. It is very evident that they are carrying this iPod arrogance a little too far, so -- until they get the message, it will be 'no sale' for me. Too bad too, as it sounds like it is very cool.

I think most of the criticisms of the iPhone are sour grapes - but this is different. Aside from the exorbitant cost compared to a third party replaceable battery, how can anyone go without their phone for "three business days"? Not to mention that 500,000 iPhones will all be sent in for new batteries at this time next year.

That must be a dedicated one. Please join global battery directory at http://www.global-battery-directory.com to gain more information.

Hi, I have had to replace a battery in my ipod and cell phone.. who cares.. I have bought batteries for drills, laptops.. its part of having the product.. There are already companies that have replacement batteries... I have paid more than $30..00 to get something next day shipped to me if its important.. if you waited in line more than 3 hours what is your time worth? Pay the $30.00 to have a spare phone while yours is beiing replaced.. my local AT&T store would not give me a phone when my motorola died.. they shipped me a new one and credited me when the old one was returned.. So what.. :-).. Grow up...