iPhone 5 Battery Replacement: Apple Admits to Faulty Component; iPhone 5s & iPhone 5c Not Included

Are you one of the few iPhone 5 users who constantly needs to recharge after faster than usual battery drain? There's good news!

The iPhone-maker is willing to replace a few iPhone 5 batteries after it has discovered that some units have somewhat faulty batteries.

In a statement on the Apple website, the company said that it is replacing iPhone 5 batteries "free of charge" if the user's device meets "eligibility requirements."

The company said, "Apple has determined that a very small percentage of iPhone 5 devices may suddenly experience shorter battery life or need to be charged more frequently. The affected iPhone 5 devices were sold between September 2012 and January 2013 and fall within a limited serial number range."

No mention of the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c was made.

iPhone 5 units due the free battery replacement should be "in working order," Apple said, and "will be examined prior to any service" for verification purposes.

It said that damages incurred by the units which impair the replacement of the battery will have to be fixed first. "In some cases, there may be a cost associated with the repair," Apple added.

Users can take the iPhone 5 units to any Apple Authorized Service Provider, Apple Retail Store or Apple Technical Support.

Before submitting their iPhones for battery replacement, the company suggests preparing the device by backing up data to iTunes or iCloud, turning off the Find My Phone feature and erasing data and settings. An easy way to do this is to click on Settings > Reset > Erase all Content and Settings.

The replacement process will start on August 22, 2014 in the U.S. and in China, said Apple. All other countries will start the iPhone 5 battery replacement process on August 29, 2014.

Apple noted that the company might "restrict or limit repair to the original country of [iPhone 5] purchase."

Those who have already paid for a battery replacement can also get a refund, Apple said. Users can contact Apple for a refund here.

The iPhone 5 has also been subjected to a Sleep / Wake Button Replacement Program. Apple said that a small percentage of the units may have sleep/ wake button mechanisms which stop working or work intermittently.

"iPhone 5 models manufactured through March 2013 may be affected by this issue," the Cupertino-based company said of the Sleep/ Wake Button Replacement Program.