AppleInsider Staff
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 $49 per replacement, are now able to fix their devices at a more reasonable fee.
In addition to more comprehensive in-store repairs, Apple is expected to roll out a new AppleCare pricing plan, or reconfigure its existing service, based on a subscription model. The new system would be on a per-customer basis, covering all devices a customer owns, counter to the current AppleCare plan which is sold per device. Also, instead of the current 90 days of free phone support with a new purchase, the refreshed repair service will offer at least one year of support, with the possibility of opening that up to two years at a later date.
Finally, as part of the new AppleCare direction, Apple will supposedly be building out its online assets, with monitored Community Forums and additional live chat assistance slated to start this summer.
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22 Comments
This is really going to mess up 3rd party repair shops.. I am currently a tech for a 3rd party repair shop called CPR Cell Phone Repair and we charge 185 for just the lens, glass only, or we charge 250 for the assembly which has the LCD and digitizer and glass. The assembly price went down last week because our supplier brought down their price... Now we are going to have to change our prices again once our supply does to get the business. Our iPhone 4 and 4S screen repairs are cheaper than Apple but 149 is a price no one can beat until they start mass producing the iPhone 5 screens like they do the iPhone 4 and 4S's. our suppliers have to buy an iPhone 5 and gut it out to give us just the screen making it a costly repair.
If it improves the customer experience, I'm all for it. Repair shops will have to offer alternatives.
Ok this is awesome. I do spring for iPhone apple care simply to avoid a screen crack. But I never actually break my screen. Now I can just keep price as is and if the screen breaks, the 149$ 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.
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.
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.