What happens to the xx30 series, when Lenovo stop producing batteries ?

[hhhd1]

The last xx30 laptop (t530/t430/..etc) was released on 2013, so probably 5 years later (2018), Lenovo will stop making batteries, on 2019, what would one do with a laptop with dead battery ?

Considering that are some forum reports of either throttling when missing battery, or crashing when there is a dead or near dead battery installed.

So, by the year 2020, performance-wise they will remain adequate for many many applications and games, what will happen then ? , assuming no one found a an easy doable hack to the batteries.

[evening_hunger]

The hack has been found. Recently by dr Matthew Chapman: http://www.zmatt.net/unlocking-my-lenovo-laptop-part-1/
However it's not easy. Maybe a hacking "kit"/guide will be compiled in the future by the authors...

[turomini]

Well, if you are daring, open the battery case and replace the cells. There are probably 18650 batteries in there, which are very easy to buy. They are also very common. Solar lights, I have a cordless led work light that has one, apparently they are in electronic cigarettes (I don't smoke, so I never checked for myself), and just almost anything with a larger rechargeable battery.

The only problem you may run into (if you can open the case) is the circuit board. The board stores the battery info, and will still report that the batteries are old, and all that other info. I'm not sure if this is an issue for lenovos, they never seem to be pushy about older battiers. My mom had an older dell from work, and once the battery was old enough, it started telling her about that, and shortly after, i think the battery completely died. I looked it up, and yeah, dell kind of forces you to update the battery.

One word of caution, those battery cases are incredibly difficult to open.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Renew-Y ... p-Battery/

I've been planning to do this to my T420s battery since I have 2 and one is really bad now. Just haven't had the time to play yet.

[600X]

Well, if you are daring, open the battery case and replace the cells.

I don't think that will work on newer ThinkPad batteries. They will self-destruct upon opening them.

Just because Lenovo will stop producing batteries in 2018 doesn't mean that new batteries won't be available anymore. They will probably remain on the market until around 2025. Just two days ago I bought a new original battery for my X41.

[hhhd1]

The hack has been found. Recently by dr Matthew Chapman: http://www.zmatt.net/unlocking-my-lenovo-laptop-part-1/
However it's not easy. Maybe a hacking "kit"/guide will be compiled in the future by the authors...

if I am not mistaken, he is saying that he cracked Lenovo's encryption, of the 'EC' part of the BIOS, and was able to use a software flasher to flash it, and connect and charge a non-genuine battery.

Lets see what happens next ...

Just because Lenovo will stop producing batteries in 2018 doesn't mean that new batteries won't be available anymore. They will probably remain on the market until around 2025. Just two days ago I bought a new original battery for my X41.

For the **30 series I think the case is different, the demand for the batteries would be much more, because they are the only available (no non-oem would work), and people now hold on to their laptops typically longer than older laptops.

[dr_st]

Maybe, but I don't see why your assumption that they will stop producing them in 2018 holds.

If there is demand, there is profit to be made (percentage-wise, you can be sure that Lenovo's profits on batteries and other accessories are way higher than on complete laptops), so they might as well continue producing them for as long as needed, and then some.

[hhhd1]

If there is demand, there is profit to be made (percentage-wise, you can be sure that Lenovo's profits on batteries and other accessories are way higher than on complete laptops), so they might as well continue producing them for as long as needed, and then some.

Lenovo is doing nothing about the poll where 80% voted they wanted the old classic keyboard layout, even though they know that many people would pay good money to get it as an optional upgrade.

When it comes to batteries, they would rather sell whole new cheap laptops, than servicing old laptops.

[dr_st]

When it comes to batteries, they would rather sell whole new cheap laptops, than servicing old laptops.

That is a lot of assumptions, based on... what?

If you don't see the difference in economics between:
* Adjusting your entire model lineup (or creating a special new model) to accommodate the needs of a specific group
* Continuing manufacturing a simple snap-in accessory
Then, we'll just have to disagree on that.

Lenovo still sells batteries for T60/61/400/500 series, the last of which were withdrawn from the market (not released) more than 5 years ago (Sept 2010).

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/cont ... de=40Y6797
http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/cont ... de=43R2499

Just look at the prices! There is a huge profit margin there, and nothing needs to be serviced. You just pack it up and ship to the customer.

And considering that most mass-produced items tend to be available in NOS form, from other vendors, for a long long time after the original manufacturer no longer sells them, I'd say your fear of impending doom come 2019 is a bit premature.

[600X]

@dr_st

You are missing the point. The reason why Lenovo still sells T60 batteries is because the last T500 was probably sold in late 2010. If it had a 5 year warranty, Lenovo will have to provide spare parts for those 5 years. Maybe 6 if you count the surplus stock. After that the batteries will slowly disappear from the market. That is why you can't buy new T43 batteries anymore, unless it's NOS. Their 5 year warranty expired in 2010. Perhaps new batteries were still available for a while after that date, but by now they are all gone.

I agree that new batteries won't suddenly vanish from the market. I bought a new and original Lenovo battery for my X41 just a few days ago. Production however, will cease shortly after the end of the warranty. The last Ivy-bridge machines were sold around the end of 2013, let's assume early 2014. (I don't know the exact figures, feel free too look them up) With a 5 year warranty, batteries will be produced until 2019. Excess stock will exist and you will probably be able to acquire NOS for 2-3 years past that deadline. So well into the next decade. By that time, most people will probably have moved on from the X230.

So you do have a point. There is no evidence to suggest that we must panic in 2018. I'd say we should delay that to 2023.

The assumption that there is still a market for Lenovo to pursue is rational. However, the amount of people that are willing and able to pay a price that is higher than the value of their machine for a new battery from Lenovo is very small, so it is sensible for Lenovo to stop production once the warranty ends.

[dr_st]

Lenovo never gave 5-year warranties on batteries, as far as I know. The standard battery warranty was one-year, even if the machine had longer term. I recall it was in some cases possible to extend the battery warranty at extra cost, but I don't think it was ever to 5 years. Could be wrong.

Hence, I don't believe there is any direct correlation between laptop warranty terms and battery availability. I do believe that there are other factors in play, and eventually it will not be economic to continue producing them, hence production will stop eventually.

But, yes, probably not as fast as we think. And as long as there is demand, it will be worthwhile to someone to continue producing compatible batteries, not necessarily Lenovo. So either Lenovo will continue producing batteries, or disclose the secret / patch the firmware to allow third party batteries to work, or someone will hack the secret, or this or that.

I just don't believe there will be a situation where a demand by a large group of users will not be met with supply. My experience is that, for all of its possible flaws, the supply & demand / free market principles do work fairly well in standard consumer situations such as this one. Of course, I can be completely wrong on that, in which case I will be prepared to eat it with some sweet chilli sauce come the next decade.

[600X]

It's not so much about the warranty for batteries. They are considered spare parts by Lenovo and as such, must be supplied for at least as long as the warranty lasts. At least that is how it has been for as long as I can remember.

Either way, the problem is that aftermarket batteries won't work in Ivy machines and newer. There have been reports of one or two that do, but at this point most people are probably still using and sourcing original batteries, so there isn't much information about the issue.

I can see your point that there is a giant market. However, there is also a barrier to entry: The authenticity chip that Lenovo uses, which radically decreases the supply of aftermarket batteries. Lenovo itself will, as I have stated, produce batteries until the end of the product life, which to them is the end of the warranty, unless they have recently changed their policy. I might ask someone closer to Lenovo to confirm this, but as far as I am aware, that is how it works. Otherwise Lenovo would still be producing T500 batteries, which they aren't. (latest production date I've seen is 2014) And it's not like the demand isn't there.