Scotty Allen’s iPhone 7 battery was dying and, as you’d expect, Allen didn’t do the easy thing.
Rather than pay Apple to replace the battery or just get a new iPhone, the host of the YouTube show Strange Parts went on a vendor-to-vendor hunt in the electronics district in Shenzhen, China in search of a replacement battery.
He bought several – some original, some third-market and others rebuilt Apple batteries – all for a fraction of the $49 you would pay at the genius bar. The bargain disappeared with the purchase of a $150 battery tester but that was for the benefit of the thousands who follow the adventurous tinkerer on his YouTube channel.
The viewer gains insight on how the components markets in China work and maybe a little confidence in how to change your own iPhone battery.
Since a good percentage of iPhone users are postponing an upgrade, Allen makes it look easy.
Strange Parts always a strange trip
Allen’s adventures have been on the geek radar ever since he built his own iPhone from scratch in 2017, buying individual components in Shenzhen. He has also added a headphone jack where there wasn’t one on the iPhone 7 and showed viewers how to boost memory on an iPhone.
Not every adventure involves an Apple gadget but Allen’s willingness to struggle or fail on a project in front of the camera endures him to a growing number of followers.
Because his projects are more about the journey, you generally need more than a few minutes to watch his videos. The battery saga is just under 25 minutes (see below).
In the end, Allen doesn’t recommend an internet search for batteries from dealers with unknown histories.
The video’s sponsor, iFixit, sent Allen a replacement kit so that he could test its battery against the ones he found in China.
“The actual process of swapping a battery is super easy,” Allen said. “I definitely suggest you do this on your own. I don’t see a lot of reason if you’re the least bit technically inclined, to take your phone to the Apple Store – unless it’s under warranty.”
