▁offering ▁individuals ▁with ▁first ▁or ▁second - gener ation ▁i P ods ▁either ▁US $ 5 0 ▁store ▁credit ▁or ▁a ▁free ▁battery ▁replacement ▁and ▁offering ▁individuals ▁with ▁third - gener ation ▁i P ods ▁an ▁extended ▁war rant y ▁that ▁would ▁allow ▁them ▁to ▁get ▁a ▁replacement ▁i Pod ▁if ▁they ▁experienced ▁battery ▁problems . ▁ ▁i Pod ▁batter ies ▁are ▁not ▁designed ▁to ▁be ▁removed ▁or ▁replaced ▁by ▁the ▁user , ▁although ▁some ▁users ▁have ▁been ▁able ▁to ▁open ▁the ▁case ▁themselves , ▁usually ▁following ▁instructions ▁from ▁third - party ▁vend ors ▁of ▁i Pod ▁replacement ▁batter ies . ▁Comp ounding ▁the ▁problem , ▁Apple ▁initially ▁would ▁not ▁replace ▁worn - out ▁batter ies . ▁The ▁official ▁policy ▁was ▁that ▁the ▁customer ▁should ▁buy ▁a ▁ref urb ished ▁replacement ▁i Pod , ▁at ▁a ▁cost ▁almost ▁equivalent ▁to ▁a ▁brand ▁new ▁one . ▁All ▁l ith ium - ion ▁batter ies ▁lose ▁capacity ▁during ▁their ▁lifetime ▁even ▁when ▁not ▁in ▁use ▁( gu idel ines ▁are ▁available ▁for ▁prolong ing ▁life - span ) ▁and ▁this ▁situation ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁market ▁for ▁third - party ▁battery ▁replacement ▁k its . ▁ ▁Apple ▁announced ▁a ▁battery ▁replacement ▁program ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁a ▁week ▁before ▁a ▁high ▁public ity ▁st unt ▁and ▁website ▁by ▁the ▁Ne ist at ▁Brothers . ▁The ▁initial ▁cost ▁was ▁US $ 9 9 , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁lower ed ▁to ▁US $ 5 9 ▁in ▁ 2 0 0