My iPhone battery has expanded and it's popped the screen out, chances Apple will fix it for free?

[UberTiger]

The battery in my Mum's Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max has expanded and popped the screen out.

Due to the safety concern I immediately turned it off and we haven't plugged it in since.

Being an iPhone 12 it's 4 years old, however to me this is a pretty serious safety concern and defect as opposed to a normal hardware failure, so really I think the onus should be on them to fix for free.

Anyone know if Apple will replace under warranty or if I should phrase the request in a certain way when I go to the Apple store for a repair to try and avoid having to pair a large service fee?

I first talked to them on chat and they offered for me to post it in with a £629 deposit, from which they could deduct any fees and I thought no chance, so going by in person in a couple of hours.

 

[UberTiger]

They refused to do a free or even reduced rate fix, which I wasn't happy about.

I tried to argue that it was incredibly disconcerting and worrying and a potential fire risk, however the manager explained that the expanding is a safety mechanism and that the battery operated as intended by expanding, but it's also has a fixed lifespan and at 4 years old it's not covered under any warranty.

£85 for a new battery with them, or £45 from my local independent repair shop.

I didn't kick up a fuss as my mum was there, I was probably a bit too nice not to push a bit harder, but I figured if my pretty sensible and reasoned logic (at least in my mind) about the fire risk didn't get through to them, then it's unlikely being a difficult customer would do any better.

Quite disappointed in how they handled it tbh.