Apple activates iPhone 6 Plus repair program to address 'touch disease'
In what appears to be a response to the so-called "touch disease" problem, Apple on Thursday initiated a special program to repair iPhone 6 Plus devices exhibiting screen flicker issues due to multiple drops on a hard surface.
Dubbed the multi-touch repair program for iPhone 6 Plus, Apple's new repair initiative allows customers affected by a rare screen flicker issue to fix their faulty unit for a flat $149 service fee. The company failed to detail which component or components are causing the ongoing issues, but intimated users are partially at fault.
"Apple has determined that some iPhone 6 Plus devices may exhibit display flickering or Multi-Touch issues after being dropped multiple times on a hard surface and then incurring further stress on the device," the company said.
Referred to as "touch disease," the problem presents as a thin grey flickering band located toward the top of an affected iPhone 6 or 6 Plus display. In extreme cases, the band progressively extends further down the screen, ultimately impacting touch response.
Following user complaints in August, AppleInsider discovered the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus malady accounted for roughly 11 percent of an Apple store's daily iPhone service volume. At the time, sources said the issue was related to iPhone's touch controller.
Specifically, some units were affected by the degradation of solder joints connecting the touch controller chip to the logic board, while others saw the chip simply fail. Both scenarios could logically be tied to multiple drops on a hard surface, as Apple claims.
Users who believe their iPhone 6 Plus is experiencing the multi-touch problem described above should contact Apple or take their phone in to an Apple retail store or Apple Authorized Service Provider for inspection.
As part of the new program, Apple is reaching out to reimburse iPhone 6 Plus owners sought repairs related to the multi-touch issue through Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Customers who paid for repairs and have not yet been contacted can send a request for reimbursement directly to Apple.
Dubbed the multi-touch repair program for iPhone 6 Plus, Apple's new repair initiative allows customers affected by a rare screen flicker issue to fix their faulty unit for a flat $149 service fee. The company failed to detail which component or components are causing the ongoing issues, but intimated users are partially at fault.
"Apple has determined that some iPhone 6 Plus devices may exhibit display flickering or Multi-Touch issues after being dropped multiple times on a hard surface and then incurring further stress on the device," the company said.
Referred to as "touch disease," the problem presents as a thin grey flickering band located toward the top of an affected iPhone 6 or 6 Plus display. In extreme cases, the band progressively extends further down the screen, ultimately impacting touch response.
Following user complaints in August, AppleInsider discovered the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus malady accounted for roughly 11 percent of an Apple store's daily iPhone service volume. At the time, sources said the issue was related to iPhone's touch controller.
Specifically, some units were affected by the degradation of solder joints connecting the touch controller chip to the logic board, while others saw the chip simply fail. Both scenarios could logically be tied to multiple drops on a hard surface, as Apple claims.
Users who believe their iPhone 6 Plus is experiencing the multi-touch problem described above should contact Apple or take their phone in to an Apple retail store or Apple Authorized Service Provider for inspection.
As part of the new program, Apple is reaching out to reimburse iPhone 6 Plus owners sought repairs related to the multi-touch issue through Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Customers who paid for repairs and have not yet been contacted can send a request for reimbursement directly to Apple.
Comments
No drops and no abuse required. That is fiction. Yes, a drop could be a catalyst for the problem to show up, but the defect is there anyway. Blaming this on being dropped would be like Samsung blaming the explosive Notes on 3rd party chargers...sure they might have contributed in some cases, but the fact is that the Notes were defective with or without bad chargers. Apple needs to do the right thing and fix these without charge.
Here is the article that Apple needs to read. Simply laid out https://ifixit.org/blog/8309/iphone-6-plus-gray-flicker-touch-death/
Bendgate, structural flaw, not a user dropping the device which Apple claims
Win some, lose some.
Update: Not that it's related, but I went home afterwards to try to wash the blood out of my clothes, and my Samsung washing machine exploded and almost severed my other arm. I wonder if I should try for a refund on that? I don't think I'll be able to find all the pieces, so whatever... probably won't try.
I have to call BS on Apple too though. I had this problem with my phone. No drops and used Otterbox and Lifeproof cases. One day it just started flickering. Had to pay $320 for refurbished 6plus in June. I for one would like a partial refund to bring my price inline with the repair cost they are offering. I'm happy they did something though to possibly avoid lawsuits. Those don't help us like it helps the lawyers.
Just close the Flickr app dude!
There is way too many of you throllish sack of crap on the internet, go back to your mama at Macrumors were they tolerate your kind of crap.
I wonder if anyone from Denmark will take this issue to the consumer council, ;-)
I'm on my third six plus - I bought the largest storage version (i.e. most expensive), fortunately together with AppleCare. I've never dropped an iPhone, they've not been squished. This response from apple is an aggressive response to the lawsuits to imply it's happened only to careless iPhone users who phones were dropped. I'm happy for users who don't have this issue, but I can tell you it's a real issue that for me started after about 9 months.
I feel sorry for the six plus purchasers who had the problem shortly after a year, and were asked to pony up something like $250 for a replacement device.
No, the class actions aren't going away. Apple's main focus seems no longer to be on customer service but squeezing margins. I'm an iOS developer, I own Apple stock and my view is that it's time for new leadership there.