Apple now repairing iPhone 5 screens in-store as part of AppleCare overhaul
As part of Apple's rumored AppleCare policy changes, the company recently began replacing iPhone 5 screens instead of swapping out the broken units for refurbished devices, saving money for both Apple and its customers.
Priced at $149, the new iPhone 5 repairs, spotted by MacRumors, come less than one month after AppleInsider was first to report on a set of sweeping changes to AppleCare that would see brick-and-mortar Apple Stores play a bigger role in the company's repair policy.
It appears that the in-store screen fixes are just the beginning of a wider plan that could net Apple a savings of nearly $1 billion per year, as the company would be less reliant on swapping out entire devices for a single faulty component.
The changes will also benefit consumers, as the previous price for a refurbished swap out was $229. Under the new plan, customers who didn't spring for the AppleCare+ warranty, which costs $99 up front and $49 per replacement, are now able to fix their devices at a more reasonable fee.
In addition to more comprehensive in-store repairs, Apple is expected to roll out a new AppleCare pricing plan, or reconfigure its existing service, based on a subscription model. The new system would be on a per-customer basis, covering all devices a customer owns, counter to the current AppleCare plan which is sold per device. Also, instead of the current 90 days of free phone support with a new purchase, the refreshed repair service will offer at least one year of support, with the possibility of opening that up to two years at a later date.
Finally, as part of the new AppleCare direction, Apple will supposedly be building out its online assets, with monitored Community Forums and additional live chat assistance slated to start this summer.
Priced at $149, the new iPhone 5 repairs, spotted by MacRumors, come less than one month after AppleInsider was first to report on a set of sweeping changes to AppleCare that would see brick-and-mortar Apple Stores play a bigger role in the company's repair policy.
It appears that the in-store screen fixes are just the beginning of a wider plan that could net Apple a savings of nearly $1 billion per year, as the company would be less reliant on swapping out entire devices for a single faulty component.
The changes will also benefit consumers, as the previous price for a refurbished swap out was $229. Under the new plan, customers who didn't spring for the AppleCare+ warranty, which costs $99 up front and $49 per replacement, are now able to fix their devices at a more reasonable fee.
In addition to more comprehensive in-store repairs, Apple is expected to roll out a new AppleCare pricing plan, or reconfigure its existing service, based on a subscription model. The new system would be on a per-customer basis, covering all devices a customer owns, counter to the current AppleCare plan which is sold per device. Also, instead of the current 90 days of free phone support with a new purchase, the refreshed repair service will offer at least one year of support, with the possibility of opening that up to two years at a later date.
Finally, as part of the new AppleCare direction, Apple will supposedly be building out its online assets, with monitored Community Forums and additional live chat assistance slated to start this summer.
Comments
If it improves the customer experience, I'm all for it. Repair shops will have to offer alternatives.
I doubt I'll ever have water damage or two screen breaks.
Kudos to apple.
Sorry to 3rd party repair shops.
But I must say I hear a lot of horror stories coming from people who took their iPhones to those types of shops.
Quote:
Originally Posted by StephanJobs
Ok this is awesome. I do spring for iPhone apple care simply to avoid a screen crack. But I never actually break my screen. Now I can just keep price as is and if the screen breaks, the 149$ is the same price as apple care and 1 replacement.
I doubt I'll ever have water damage or two screen breaks.
Kudos to apple.
Sorry to 3rd party repair shops.
But I must say I hear a lot of horror stories coming from people who took their iPhones to those types of shops.
I view it as a chance for Apple to extend good feelings and prompt service for more of their product offerings.
Quote:
Originally Posted by atokosch
This is really going to mess up 3rd party repair shops.. I am currently a tech for a 3rd party repair shop called CPR Cell Phone Repair and we charge 185 for just the lens, glass only, or we charge 250 for the assembly which has the LCD and digitizer and glass. The assembly price went down last week because our supplier brought down their price... Now we are going to have to change our prices again once our supply does to get the business. Our iPhone 4 and 4S screen repairs are cheaper than Apple but 149 is a price no one can beat until they start mass producing the iPhone 5 screens like they do the iPhone 4 and 4S's. our suppliers have to buy an iPhone 5 and gut it out to give us just the screen making it a costly repair.
Well, you might want to looking at working at the Apple Store's repair section. If you have the qualifications, why not? It always looks better on your resume.
Quote:
Originally Posted by drblank
Well, you might want to looking at working at the Apple Store's repair section. If you have the qualifications, why not? It always looks better on your resume.
Unfortunately I cannot I am not 18 yet. I just turned 17, and if i could work there at 17 i would love to, i am one of the best techs at my work under my manager. I will mostlikely work there in my future because i want to be a Apple corporate one day an to get there i think i need to be at the Apple Store first.
Quote:
Originally Posted by StephanJobs
Ok this is awesome. I do spring for iPhone apple care simply to avoid a screen crack. But I never actually break my screen. Now I can just keep price as is and if the screen breaks, the 149$ is the same price as apple care and 1 replacement.
I doubt I'll ever have water damage or two screen breaks.
Kudos to apple.
Sorry to 3rd party repair shops.
But I must say I hear a lot of horror stories coming from people who took their iPhones to those types of shops.
I must say working for one that there are no horror stories. We make sure every customer is satisfied and if they are not we make sure they leave happy in the end. The owner of my store make sure everything is right with every customer. You only hear horror stories when people bring in a broken phone and leave after we attempt to repair water damaged phones, which is not guaranteed.
Well nothing against your shop. Sounds like a good place.
But I have had friends who have had repairs done. One was grossly overpriced and it had pixel problems.
Another had something jiggling around inside the case.
I went to one once for a replacement screen (iphone 4) and they wanted 199$ and gave no guarantees.
I don't get it. Apple will give you a refurbished phone for $199. Why would they pay you $250 to replace the digitizer and glass?
Which is part of why they are doing it. No matter how good you are, it's not an authorized repair and yours are not likely legit Apple parts. Despite clear terms, folks still get pissy when Apple denies service for life because the person had such a repair done. By doing it themselves and under cutting shops like yours Apple can back up their terms with a simple 'you could have had it done here'.
Plus not all displays are broken and it sucks to swap a whole phone when only the display is defective.
Quote:
Originally Posted by StephanJobs
Well nothing against your shop. Sounds like a good place.
But I have had friends who have had repairs done. One was grossly overpriced and it had pixel problems.
Another had something jiggling around inside the case.
I went to one once for a replacement screen (iphone 4) and they wanted 199$ and gave no guarantees.
Thats odd.. We guarantee our part for 6 months on defective parts. It does not cover physical damage or liquid damage though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by charlituna
Which is part of why they are doing it. No matter how good you are, it's not an authorized repair and yours are not likely legit Apple parts. Despite clear terms, folks still get pissy when Apple denies service for life because the person had such a repair done. By doing it themselves and under cutting shops like yours Apple can back up their terms with a simple 'you could have had it done here'.
Plus not all displays are broken and it sucks to swap a whole phone when only the display is defective.
Yes i understand where you are coming from, however our parts are actually Apple parts. They used to say Apple on all of them until Apple started to arrest people so we dont use them anymore, but all of our iPhone 5 parts are legit iPhone 5 Apple parts, like i said our suppliers gut out an iPhone 5 to seel us the part right now, iPhone 4 and 4S is different, its the same retina quality and same glass and digitizer quality, sometimes they are Apple parts, sometimes they are not. The ones that are not you can tell especially if they are white, the white will be a kind of egg shell white and not white.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cash907
They might as well. Replacing the screen on the 5 is as simple as on the 3G/3GS. Two screws, lift screen, release ribbon cable, reverse same procedure with new screen. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
To be honest with you it is not that easy. With the camera, prox sensor, ambient light sensor, ear speaker, home button and metal heat shield all attacked to the screen assembly you will have to do some unscrewing of those and transferring, i doubt Apple would give you new everything on that assembly if you did not need it. To do a assembly swap it takes about 10 minutes or so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jragosta
I don't get it. Apple will give you a refurbished phone for $199. Why would they pay you $250 to replace the digitizer and glass?
Apple will not give you a refurb for $199.. They will for an iPhone 4, but for the 5 it is upwards of 300 depending on your GB. The Apple store that is right around the corner from my store will actually try to sell people new phones because replacing the device is just about the same price. Im not sure where you heard that but Apple only replaced iPhones for $199 on the iPhone 3G and 3GS and they stopped the $199 after the 4 raising the price to about the price of the phone new.
Hard to have sympathy for a business who's model is totally dependent on Apple rather than their customers. Asking Apple to not what is in the best interest of the company just so your business can survive is dumb. Adapt. Provide a better service or step aside.
From what I have heard it is hard to impossible to jump from stores to corporate. Corporate is looking more masters level engineering skills not customer service. Or the same for business etc.
Now if you happened to work part time at an Apple Store and got up to genius while you were there, while studying up to a Masters in product engineering or whatever that couldn't hurt.
Having just taken in one company phone for proximity sensor issues and one for home button in the last two months I can say you are incorrect. Both times they replaced the display. So they likely are getting them as a whole assembly. Likely because the risk that someone would break something pulling it all apart was deemed greater than the cost of using a complete assembly.
And no it's not likely a big deal for Apple as the broken display would be sent for failure testing and the rest of the bits, post testing, could be remanufactured into new service parts.
First off they are willing service replacements refurbs which to Apple is false. They don't use the term refurb with such replacements.
And replacement costs are
$149 for up to and including the iPhone 4, size doesn't matter
$199 for the 4s
And
$229 for the iPhone 5