Apple can now replace the iPad mini 6 battery without replacing the tablet altogether

Good news for environmentalists concerned about protecting the environment, but very bad news for Apple fans who couldn’t wait for the iPad mini 6 battery to fail during the warranty period.

Basically, iPad mini 6 users could have ended up with a completely new tablet, or at least a factory-repaired version brought up to brand-new condition, abusing their current tablet as much as possible in the idea of getting the battery defects fixed under warranty. It’s unclear whether the “phenomenon” has become so widespread as to make the expense of repairs unbearable, but it seems that Apple has abandoned the policy of replacing the tablet completely in favor of repairing the copy brought in for repair.

According to the company, Apple Stores and authorized repair centers now have the tools to replace the battery in iPad mini 6 tablets, so they can be returned to users in a reasonable amount of time, restored to working order. It’s unclear for now whether Apple will extend the new repair rules to other products in the range, but the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are prime candidates, with Apple already changing their design to allow easy replacement of several components such as the screen, glass cover and battery.

Certainly for most users, not having the entire device replaced is bad news. That’s because, previously, customers only had to pay for a new battery and then get a new iPad without scratches or wear and tear.