With Apple’s new baby the MacAir not even launched yet - concerns have been raised over the battery situation already.

As with some other Apple products - the MacBook Air contains a non serviceable 37-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery which raises the question about what happens when it inevitably looses performance?

All laptops gradually kill the battery over time, but thankfully its just a case of snapping in a new battery yourself. Aple have also got a bit of a history with malfunctioning batteries, with a recall/replacement programme for the Macbook & Macbook Pro batteries sold in 2006.

Luckily the battery replacement process is trivial for somebody not scared to use a screw driver. The process requires a single size-0 type philips screwdriver and some patience.

Once flipped upside down, the Macbook Air’s bottom cover is easily unscrewed and removed, providing immediate access to the battery cavity. From there, the battery can be unscrewed from the chassis with the same screwdriver and unplugged from the circuit board with a simple tug — it’s not soldered to the board.

Apple has announced its intent to offer a MacBook Air Out-of-Warranty Battery Replacement Program, which promises authorized replacements for US $129. The return to base repair process normally takes 5 business days, the company says.

There is no word on whether the battery change could invalidate the Apple warranty. So if you’re thinking of doing it later this year, it might be worth checking with AppleCare to be sure.

Source AppleInsider.com

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