One aspect of a smartphone that is very important and sometimes needs replacement is the battery. Over the years, smartphones no longer come with removable batteries. This means that the archaic practice of walking into a shop and purchasing any compatible battery is off the table. We all know that the battery performance of a smartphone deteriorates with time. This means that, especially for really old phones, battery replacement is inevitable. With an in-built battery, this is not a simple process. You have to remove the back panel to get access to the battery.
Chinese manufacturer, Xiaomi, acknowledges this need and it has now launched a battery replacement program for some of its models. It is interesting to note that some of these phones are four years old. However, the most interesting part is that the replacement cost just 49 yuan (~$7). Irrespective of the model on the list, the replacement cost including labour is 49 yuan (~$7).
Gizchina News of the week
While the older models are expected to come with cheap battery replacement plan, the inclusion of the Mi 9 and Redmi Note 7 is a surprise. Recall that the Mi 9 was specifically criticized for its poor battery performance. I guess this is a way of compensating users of this smartphone. The likes of Xiaomi Mi 5 from 2016 makes the list. However, most of the replacements should be for the Redmi Note 7 series. Of course, this series sold over 20 million units so we expect more from it.
Xiaomi $7 battery replacement is available in China only
As interesting as this may sound, if you are not in China, sorry, you do not have access to this program. It will be a great idea to have such a program globally. However, it will also be a huge investment from Xiaomi. The program covers a total of twenty-one Xiaomi and Redmi phones. See the full list below
- Xiaomi Mi 5, Mi 5S
- Mi 6, Mi 6X
- Mi 8, Mi 8 SE, Mi 8 Youth Edition, Mi 8 Screen Fingerprint Edition, Mi 8 Explorer Edition
- Xiaomi Mi 9, Mi 9 SE, Mi 9 Pro, Mi 9 Explorer Edition
- Xiaomi Mi Max 2
- Mi Mix 2, Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S
- Redmi Note 5
- Redmi 6, Redmi 6A
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 7, Redmi Note 7 Pro
While this program is a plus for Xiaomi users that need it, Xiaomi’s devices are quite good. Generally, Xiaomi’s batteries do not deteriorate fast and after several years, they are still strong. This program will probably be for abandoned devices that users may want to bring back to life. For now, we can only hope that Xiaomi introduces the program globally.