Recommendations on where to get a new iPhone 12 battery (Wellington)

Forums › Apple iOS and devices › Recommendations on where to get a new iPhone 12 battery (Wellington)

Finch

2851 posts

Uber Geek

#319781 2-Jun-2025 11:02

Hey folks. I've had my phone for just over 4 years now, it's going good. Except the battery is starting to decay quite a bit, it's currently on 76% Maximum Capacity with the message showing of "Your battery's health is significantly degraded".

Just looking for suggestions on where to take it to get a new battery, somewhere around the CBD would be ideal.

Or, is it just better to get a new phone instead?

And a couple questions in general about the process..

Would I need to book an appointment or just turn up?
How long would it take, Google is telling me around an hour?
Anything I'd need to do beforehand?

Thanks!

alasta

6701 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#3379794 2-Jun-2025 12:49

This page allows you to see pricing and repair sites. Service Plus is the closest to the Wellington CBD, and you can make a booking although it sounds like it's not absolutely necessary.

bp1000

93 posts

Master Geek

#3380192 3-Jun-2025 15:01

My iPhone 12 Pro is in similar battery health 79% and I thought I'd check out the battery cost and process in NZ.

While there is no direct Apple repair services in NZ, there are Apple authorised service providers.

I took my phone into a well-known blue & orange tech store to understand how it works. My start position is that my phone is critical to a number of essential services for me. I can't logon to my work laptop without a code that I can only get from my phone. It is also my one and only phone. I do have a cellular capable watch.

The cost was $200.

The process is:

take phone in and they do tests using specialist Apple testing equipment to confirm the battery can be replaced.
they then order new battery from Apple Australia
they must hold the phone until the battery has arrived.
install battery
test
release phone back to me.

This is not their process but what is required by Apple, particularly that no battery stock is held in NZ. So no criticism of the tech store.

There's just no way I can be without my phone for 1 day let alone 2-3.

I'm going to Aus soon and the staff said it would be a much better experience for me to get the battery done there, as I can get same day service, either from Apple directly or through a authorised repairer.

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#3380194 3-Jun-2025 15:15

Why do they have to hold the phone during that time if they don't have stock? Why can't you leave a deposit instead? It sounds like they really just wat you to buy a new one which is a far easier process. People shouldn't have to jump through those sorts of hoops. IMO Apple should be required to sell the batteries as standalone batteries, as they claim their are a consumable..

CYaBro

4582 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#3380196 3-Jun-2025 15:32

Not Wellington but I recently took my Mum's iPhone 11 into Ubertec in Auckland for a battery replacement.

I first contacted them and confirmed they had a battery in stock, which they did.
They asked me to fill in the service request form on their website as well as create an appointment via Apple's support website.

On the day I dropped the phone into them in the morning just as they opened at 8am and they said it would take about 3 hours.
I got a call from them within about 2 hours to say it was ready.

Cost was $209.

Easy.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

CYaBro

4582 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#3380199 3-Jun-2025 15:37

mattwnz:

Why do they have to hold the phone during that time if they don't have stock? Why can't you leave a deposit instead? It sounds like they really just wat you to buy a new one which is a far easier process. People shouldn't have to jump through those sorts of hoops. IMO Apple should be required to sell the batteries as standalone batteries, as they claim their are a consumable..

I'd say they hold the phone as it has most likely been opened, to inspect inside for any liquid damage etc, and ensure the battery can be safely removed.
It's not a quick or easy job to put the phone back together again.

In saying that, when I ran my Apple Authorised Service Provider store we made sure we had batteries in stock for any jobs that were booked.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#3380206 3-Jun-2025 15:59

CYaBro:

mattwnz:

Why do they have to hold the phone during that time if they don't have stock? Why can't you leave a deposit instead? It sounds like they really just wat you to buy a new one which is a far easier process. People shouldn't have to jump through those sorts of hoops. IMO Apple should be required to sell the batteries as standalone batteries, as they claim their are a consumable..

I'd say they hold the phone as it has most likely been opened, to inspect inside for any liquid damage etc, and ensure the battery can be safely removed.
It's not a quick or easy job to put the phone back together again.

In saying that, when I ran my Apple Authorised Service Provider store we made sure we had batteries in stock for any jobs that were booked.

That all sounds fair in terms of the work involved. But do they actually need to reopen it up first to find out the battery it needs?. I guess some people phones arrive in poor condition. IMO people should probably contact a service agent first to makes sure they have the required battery instock, so they don't need to order it in.

bp1000

93 posts

Master Geek

#3380221 3-Jun-2025 17:04

Some interesting replies indicating it may be the specific authorised Apple Repair store I went into that has this particular requirement rather than Apple mandating it. They're are well-known company with multiple stores in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and some regions too.

I'll look into Ubertec in Auckland to see if they can do same day service for me.

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Asteros

250 posts

Master Geek

#3380223 3-Jun-2025 17:15

Fonefix in Mt Wellington is an Apple authorised repairer and they swapped a 13 pro max battery for me in 2024 while I waited for about 1.5 hours.

Harvey Norman Wairau Park said I could go in a first time, they would inspect the phone and order the battery from Apple then I could return to the store for fitment once it arrived.

bp1000

93 posts

Master Geek

#3380229 3-Jun-2025 18:24

mattwnz:

IMO people should probably contact a service agent first to makes sure they have the required battery instock, so they don't need to order it in.

Agree and this is why I went to my closest authorised service centre to check. They told me that they are not able to order the Apple battery until they have inspected the phone and then must keep hold of the phone until the battery is delivered from Australia and they have installed it.

I asked them to clarify a couple of times, so this is not a misinterpretation of what they said.

I've reached out to Ubertec via email to ask if they have batteries in stock and can do a same day service on a Saturday.

I'm in Auckland city tomorrow, so will pop into another branch of the same authorised service centre to see if they tell me the same information I got from my local branch.

Finch

2851 posts

Uber Geek

#3380233 3-Jun-2025 18:43

Interesting replies, thanks folks. I honestly might just go down the new phone route, as my phone is 4+ years old anyway. But, will read through the replies here a couple more times, I don't think I could be without my phone for a day either, need it for work.

Happy to leave the thread open though, looking forward to seeing what bp1000 finds out tomorrow!