Third-party iPhone screen repairs no longer void warranty, Apple says
In an apparent policy shift, Apple recently notified store technicians that third-party iPhone screen repairs no longer void the handset's standard warranty as long as the unauthorized fix does not damage the casing or other related components.
According an internal memo distributed to Apple store employees on Friday, and subsequently obtained by MacRumors, iPhones that have undergone third-party screen repairs or replacement are now eligible for partial coverage under Apple's warranty.
AppleInsider sources confirmed the legitimacy of the report, but noted even slight damage caused by out-of-network screen repairs, up to and including housing damage, will void Apple's warranty and result in a full repair charge. Further, problems stemming from an unauthorized part could result in extra fees.
As can be expected, the device must be within the original warranty period, either the gratis one-year defect guarantee or extended AppleCare+ plan, and free of apparent tampering or other damage that might result from a third-party screen replacement. Evaluations are performed at the discretion of Apple store workers.
Budget conscious iPhone owners have for years used outside service providers to replace or repair broken screens in a bid to save money. Previously, repairs by out of network firms immediately voided Apple's warranty.
The display is usually a smartphone's single most expensive component, and the one most likely to break in the event of a drop or other accident. Apple sought to address the issue by instituting a new line item to its AppleCare+ service last year, offering users the option to replace broken screens for a $29 flat fee. Of course, the extended warranty coverage comes at a premium -- currently $129 for iPhone 7.
According an internal memo distributed to Apple store employees on Friday, and subsequently obtained by MacRumors, iPhones that have undergone third-party screen repairs or replacement are now eligible for partial coverage under Apple's warranty.
AppleInsider sources confirmed the legitimacy of the report, but noted even slight damage caused by out-of-network screen repairs, up to and including housing damage, will void Apple's warranty and result in a full repair charge. Further, problems stemming from an unauthorized part could result in extra fees.
As can be expected, the device must be within the original warranty period, either the gratis one-year defect guarantee or extended AppleCare+ plan, and free of apparent tampering or other damage that might result from a third-party screen replacement. Evaluations are performed at the discretion of Apple store workers.
Budget conscious iPhone owners have for years used outside service providers to replace or repair broken screens in a bid to save money. Previously, repairs by out of network firms immediately voided Apple's warranty.
The display is usually a smartphone's single most expensive component, and the one most likely to break in the event of a drop or other accident. Apple sought to address the issue by instituting a new line item to its AppleCare+ service last year, offering users the option to replace broken screens for a $29 flat fee. Of course, the extended warranty coverage comes at a premium -- currently $129 for iPhone 7.
Comments
Imagine a car manufacturer voiding the warranty on your the entire car because you chose to have a cracked windshield replaced somewhere other than the dealer. That dog won't hunt!
The article doesn't explain things very well...
Almost all the repairs aren't actually to the "display" but to the glass/digitizer attachment. Under that is the "display" as in the LCD display.
The 29$ more than covers the cost of the glass.
The Apple Care warranty gives you the opportunity to get the 'reduced' repair cost for the glass replacement, etc. In my experience they just give you a referb (you get someone else's repaired device).
The glass is available on Amazon for less that 20$. But if you or someone else replaces the screen it's not with an OEM part...you can feel the difference.
The regular sized iPad isn't that difficult to repair, but the smaller one is. I've replaced one of each... I haven't tried an IPhone but I imagine it's also difficult for a guy with decent sized hands. There is a reason Apple has a robot do this...
Apple has been in violation of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act for years. It's the same law that applies to cars, a manufacturer cannot legally void a warranty because a third party component has been installed. They obviously don't have to cover the third party component, and they don't have to cover a repair if the third party component caused the problem, but voiding the warranty because it's there is illegal.
As a side note, it's also illegal for them to void the hardware warranty if you jailbreak the phone, unless the jailbreak actually caused a hardware failure (and a jailbreak has never done that.)
Opening most electronics voids the manufacturer warranty. Jail breaking a Idevice is dumb, the biggest reason to own one is superior security and you just circumvented it. Jail breaking an android phone make more sense because you can put on another flavor of android/Linux...
When we complain about Apples warranties we're complaining about their cost (of repairs)...
And in the response to that ruling 'Apple Rus' asked for a timeout (a warning) to fix the issue rather being slammed with a multimillion fines. And since they are balancing on the edge of another unfair ruling because of monopolist's price dictate, they decided to trade off the ducking screens repairments.
Apple is so much Apple: it's not a bug it's a feature...