Surface Pro 3 Battery Replacement Changes?

[netuser]

There is a post on Reddit that claims the Surface Pro 3 battery should maintain 80% of it's life for up to 4.5 years.
They also wrote that they will replace the battery for $200 if you want to replace the battery out of warranty.
SurfaceTeam comments on We are Panos Panay and the Surface team at Microsoft. We proudly introduced Surface Pro 3 last week. Ask us anything!

Not sure a Reddit post is binding, so, if that's all true and stays true for the useful life of the device, then that's great and then future battery replacement is not an major issue for the Surface Pro 3.
Sounds like they must have made some repairability improvements if they can now replace the battery for $200 vs $440 on the older Surface models.

 

[Saul]

How long is the warranty by the way (I'm in Australia), & can we buy (truly useful) extended warranties like we can with Apple products?

 

[Bazzer]

Why the problem about a sealed battery and cost? I had computers for at least 20 years portables 6 tablets 4 and have never needed a battery. They are designed for 2 to 3 years life and if charged/discharged correctly will give that. If you need a bulky portable with battery buy one it will not be a Surface. And if you have a Apple no comment.

 

[netuser]

I don't know what you are talking about. Having computers for "20 years" is not relevant. Mainstream consumer tablets and thin, sealed ultrabooks with non-removable batteries are new to the last few years. People are used to laptop batteries only working "like new" for a year or 2 and then needing to buy a new battery to get the rated battery life back.
People are now buying laptops and tablets with the rated battery life being a big part of their buying decision. If they only get that long battery life for 18 months and then can't make it through the day any more they will be unhappy with the product. If you can at least get a replacement battery for a reasonable cost, that will mitigate that issue.

If someone pays $450 for a Surface and it is working fine running a currently supported OS and they have no problem with it *except* than the battery is no longer holding a charge long enough for their use case, having to buy a refurbished unit that costs near the same the original purchase price is not acceptable.
Not everyone throws their PC away after 2 or three years especially when they buy a Surface Pro that now can cost $1900. An i7 computer should be useful for more than 2 or 3 years.
Apple has this handled well with their Macbooks and iPads since they have an official battery replacement program where you only pay about $99 to $129 to ship your tablet or laptop to them for battery replacement. https://www.apple.com/batteries/replacements.html

Microsoft offering battery replacement for $200 wouldn't be as good of a deal as Apple offers, but it is still cheap enough to be reasonable especially compared to the older Surface's were the battery replacement cost was comparable to what the device cost new.

 

[jnjroach]

I don't know what you are talking about. Having computers for "20 years" is not relevant. Mainstream consumer tablets and thin, sealed ultrabooks with non-removable batteries are new to the last few years. People are used to laptop batteries only working "like new" for a year or 2 and then needing to buy a new battery to get the rated battery life back.
People are now buying laptops and tablets with the rated battery life being a big part of their buying decision. If they only get that long battery life for 18 months and then can't make it through the day any more they will be unhappy with the product. If you can at least get a replacement battery for a reasonable cost, that will mitigate that issue.

If someone pays $450 for a Surface and it is working fine running a currently supported OS and they have no problem with it *except* than the battery is no longer holding a charge long enough for their use case, having to buy a refurbished unit that costs near the same the original purchase price is not acceptable.
Not everyone throws their PC away after 2 or three years especially when they buy a Surface Pro that now can cost $1900. An i7 computer should be useful for more than 2 or 3 years.
Apple has this handled well with their Macbooks and iPads since they have an official battery replacement program where you only pay about $99 to $129 to ship your tablet or laptop to them for battery replacement. https://www.apple.com/batteries/replacements.html

Microsoft offering battery replacement for $200 wouldn't be as good of a deal as Apple offers, but it is still cheap enough to be reasonable especially compared to the older Surface's were the battery replacement cost was comparable to what the device cost new.

It is designed obsolescence, the industry can't have the experience of the purchase frenzy of 2004-2007 then flat sales 2008-2009 and then decline of 2010-2013. For long term survival they needed to create a market that feels compelled to upgrade every 18-36 months for their higher end machines. Those that want the 4-6 life-cycle can move to the mainstream machines that cost much less to R&D and produce, of course these are boxy and heavier but still have of the user replaceable parts...

 

[netuser]

It is designed obsolescence, the industry can't have the experience of the purchase frenzy of 2004-2007 then flat sales 2008-2009 and then decline of 2010-2013. For long term survival they needed to create a market that feels compelled to upgrade every 18-36 months for their higher end machines. Those that want the 4-6 life-cycle can move to the mainstream machines that cost much less to R&D and produce, of course these are boxy and heavier but still have of the user replaceable parts...

As I stated at least 3 times, Apple can make thin and light notebooks with sealed batteries that can be replaced at their repair depot for around $100.
The choice doesn't have to be only the choice of a 6 pound, bulky laptop with a removable battery or else a thin and light device that you dispose of when the battery starts to wear because service costs are prohibitive.
The Reddit post says Microsoft will do battery replacements on the Surface Pro 3 for $200 out of warranty. So, as long as that is true information, that seems acceptable.

Certain people preorder the latest and greatest device every year and probably will never have a device long enough to be concerned about out of warranty battery replacement. They just like to have the very latest, new shiny gadgets for the fun of it.
However, most people do not even replace their cell phone every year much less a $1900 Surface Pro.
I think the more expensive the device is, the longer most people expect to keep it to justify the purchase. Someone who might buy every or at least every other new $499 iPad or Surface "RT" release is less likely to replace a $1200-2000 computing device that often.

 

[jnjroach]

I'm just saying.... the OEMs are trying to build in a 36 month replacement cycle... I'm not defending it, I'm just speaking exactly what I'm hearing from the industry.

 

[the_new_normal]

How long is the warranty by the way (I'm in Australia), & can we buy (truly useful) extended warranties like we can with Apple products?

Pretty sure it's a 2 year warranty in Australia

 

[Saul]

Speaking to MS Oz Store via chat ATM & they're claiming 1yr only, doesn't smell right to me, pretty sure that'd be illegal in Oz.

*UPDATE*
It's there in the tech specs, 1yr limited warranty only...
http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msaus/en_AU/pdp/productID.300217100#techspecs 

Will definitely be taking it to the relevant government body to be investigated further, pretty sure that's technically illegal in Oz.
IIRC, Apple got into trouble not so long ago for trying to get away with 1yr for one of their products...

 

[Saul]

They also advised that they still can't tell us anything about extended warranty for SP3, as they don't have final info. on that yet.
Not even for the US (let alone Oz), c'mon people, get your act together!

 

[the_new_normal]

Speaking to MS Oz Store via chat ATM & they're claiming 1yr only, doesn't smell right to me, pretty sure that'd be illegal in Oz.

*UPDATE*
It's there in the tech specs, 1yr limited warranty only...
Surface Pro 3 - Microsoft Store - Free shipping. Free returns.

Will definitely be taking it to the relevant government body to be investigated further, pretty sure that's technically illegal in Oz.
IIRC, Apple got into trouble not so long ago for trying to get away with 1yr for one of their products...

No, companies can bundle whatever warranty suits them. Nothing illegal about that.
If less than reasonable (rule of thumb is 2-3 years for tablet/laptop) then ACCC rules kick in and you get your 2-3 year warranty.

Illegal would be denying warranty in the period between 1 year and 2 years after purchase.
Illegal would also be selling an additional warranty for that year 2 (if they didn't have all the legal guff saying it's worthless).

EDIT: when you register, I think they do formalise the Aussie warranty period

 

[Saul]

No, companies can bundle whatever warranty suits them. Nothing illegal about that.
If less than reasonable (rule of thumb is 2-3 years for tablet/laptop) then ACCC rules kick in and you get your 2-3 year warranty.

Illegal would be denying warranty in the period between 1 year and 2 years after purchase.
Illegal would also be selling an additional warranty for that year 2 (if they didn't have all the legal guff saying it's worthless).

EDIT: when you register, I think they do formalise the Aussie warranty period

Just rushed wording, this sounds right from what I recall too.
Can you point to some "formalised doco" anywhere on all this?

TIA.