About this replacement
Apple iPad 3 — 3.7V Li-Polymer Replacement Battery (616-0586)
This is a 3.7V, 11500mAh lithium-polymer battery for the Apple iPad 3 and iPad 3 HD Wi-Fi. It replaces OEM part numbers 616-0586, 616-0604, A1389, and related variants. It fits models including MD510LL/A and MD513LL/A, restoring power to the display, processor, and wireless radios.
- iPad 3 platform fit: The third-generation iPad uses a specific connector pinout and BMS handshake tied to the 616-0586 family. All listed OEM part numbers share the same voltage rail and physical footprint — 196.50 × 125.78 × 3.95mm — so the cell seats correctly and the charge IC communicates without fault codes.
- Bench tested on actual hardware: We cycled this battery through charge and discharge on an iPad 3 unit, monitoring BMS cutoff behaviour at both ends. The protection circuit triggered correctly at low-voltage threshold and accepted a full charge without thermal events or charge IC errors.
- Fuel gauge recalibration after installation: After fitting this battery, run one full discharge to automatic shutoff, then charge uninterrupted to 100%. The iPad 3 fuel gauge IC calibrates against the new cell during this cycle. Skipping it causes the OS to report inaccurate percentages for days.
Why the iPad 3 shuts down at 15–25% remaining after a battery swap
The iPad 3 draws a combined load from the Retina display and Wi-Fi radio that spikes current well above standby draw. A new cell whose fuel gauge hasn't been recalibrated will show an inflated state-of-charge. When actual cell voltage drops under that combined load, the BMS hits its cutoff before the OS-reported percentage reaches zero. One full discharge-to-shutoff cycle followed by an uninterrupted charge gives the fuel gauge IC the data it needs to map voltage correctly against remaining capacity.
iPad 3 percentage dropping faster than expected from 100% after replacement
This is fuel gauge drift — the IC is still using the discharge curve from the old, degraded cell. The new cell has a different voltage-to-capacity relationship, and the gauge hasn't learned it yet. It reads voltage, converts it to a percentage using stale calibration data, and the numbers fall faster than actual capacity warrants. Fix it with one complete cycle: drain to automatic shutoff, then charge to 100% without interruption. After that cycle the percentage tracking stabilises.