[bluescrn]

The true cost of replacing an iPhone battery isn't the quoted dollar amount.

It's the cost of being without your phone for an indeterminate period of time if you have to ship it to Apple for the battery replacement due to not living near an Apple Store.

[torstenvl]

Best Buy is an authorized service provider. It takes an hour or so, maybe two if they're busy. It's much quicker than switching to a new phone.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/iphone-battery-replacement/5634...

[Retric]

You don’t need to go to an Apple Store. However being somewhere near an Apple Store within a ~2 year window covers most people.

Further, replacing a phone is itself painful so there’s no avoiding any inconvenience here.