A little over a week after the launch, Apple’s iPhone is still creating quite a buzz from both those who like it and those who don’t. One particular point of contention coming from a number of consumers and particularly the Foundation for Consumer and Taxpayer Rights are some concerns with the battery replacement program for the iPhone.

This system is nothing new to Apple as they’ve had an similar existing situation with the line of iPod’s which, like the iPhone, have an embedded battery. Due to this, owners themselves cannot order and swap out a new battery but must send the product in for a battery replacement from Apple. The foundation has recently sent a letter to Apple on two fronts, one of which being the battery replacement process for the iPhone.

According to details on Apple’s website the cost of a new battery and its replacement will run you $79 with an additional $6.95 for shipping. The process is said to take about 3 days to complete and to return your iPhone, during which time you will be without. You can however order a loaner iPhone in advance while yours is being repaired for another $29.

The foundation is claiming that consumers are not being properly informed about the details of battery replacements and the information is buried deep within the Apple website where it’s hard to find instead of being made clear to buyers before the launch. While we can’t argue that it stinks that we have to send in our whole iPhone or iPod when the battery goes bad, this is one of those “slippery bricks” if you will, that you need to watch out for when buying consumer electronics. When we looked up “iPhone battery replacement” on the Apple website, the information along with the pricing was the first result.