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Apple Begins Offering In-Store iPhone 5 Display Replacements for $149

Monday June 3, 2013 1:11 pm PDT by Juli Clover
iphone_5_black_whiteAs part of a shift to lower repair costs, Apple has begun replacing iPhone 5 screens at its retail locations. The new display replacement service is priced at $149 and can be purchased with or without AppleCare+.

Changes to Apple's repair policies first surfaced last month, where a town hall session revealed that Apple would begin in-house repairs of displays in June in an effort to save approximately $1 billion per year.

MacRumors heard from a tipster this morning that the new repair policy had been implemented and the changes have since been confirmed in a forum post from iPhone repair site Quick iFix. The repairs are available for cracked displays as well as screens that experience multitouch issues.

Quick iFix notes that Apple's $149 repair cost is competitive, causing the site to change its own repair costs. Quick iFix charged $174.99 for a display replacement in early May, but began offering repairs for $139.99 a few days later.

Apple's new display repairs are in line with AppleCare+ pricing, which costs $99 up front and then $49 for each replacement. The repair service is a more affordable alternative for iPhone users who opted not to purchase AppleCare+, as iPhone replacement previously cost $229.

Apple is expected to roll out additional in-house repair options in July, offering repairs of the iPhone's camera, sleep/wake buttons, and logic boards. Additional changes to AppleCare are also reportedly in the works, with Apple rumored to be switching to a subscription based plan tied to customers rather than individual devices.

[ 113 comments ]


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siurpeeman
73 months ago
note to applecare+ customers: if you crack your screen and want the whole phone swapped out and not just the screen, dunk the phone in water first.
Rating: 9 Votes
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xxnemoxx
73 months ago

Wow that's expensive. They're going to make a lot of money from this. I'd rather get it done for half that by a 3rd party, but to each his/her own and to be fair it's not easy to find display replacements for that price but they're out there.


To be honest, the iPhone 5 displays are expensive as hell to purchase, so $150 is actually a pretty decent price. only a couple a weeks ago the displays were about $200 for the part alone. I own a repair shop, so this is how I know.
Rating: 7 Votes
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Earendil
73 months ago

This seems excessive as many have gone to Craigslist for inexpensive repairs with Apple parts. When I lived in L.A. during the 3G/3GS iPhones, friends recommended a guy who used his garage as a make-shift repair center. I was impressed as he had a professional business aesthetic. The display replacement cost ~$70.


Which was for the old, cheaper screens, right? These new retina screens, it turns out, cost a tiny bit more than the old ones, and are in shorter supply.

that's pretty fecund expensive... cheaper to get done elsewhere.


Did you read the article? They quote the price from a reputable repair shop as being more expensive than this prior to Apple coming out with this pricing. Who with a guarantee offers this service for so much less, that $150 is "fecund expensive" ? Please, let the good people here know your source!
Rating: 5 Votes
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Charliemil4
73 months ago
There goes the third party industry...

I run a third party repair service... our only differentiator will be location. God bless us.
Rating: 4 Votes
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SteveJobs2.0
73 months ago
At that small of a price difference might as well go to Apple for repairs.
Rating: 4 Votes
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sbailey4
73 months ago

So, with AppleCare+ it costs $99 + $49 for a screen repair, and without it it costs $149? Why would anyone get AppleCare+, then?


OK You may need to go read up on AppleCare. That is a full warranty for any issue INCLUDING the accidental damage (twice) for the additional $49. All other repairs are included for 2 yrs with no deductible. Also AppleCare would cover a full replacement due to water damage or fried main board , broken home button, fried wifi chip, etc. This repair is simply a one time broken display fix for $149. If you break it again you pay another $149.
Rating: 4 Votes
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bassfingers
73 months ago

If I have to pay for screen replacement for my iphone 5 honestly I could buy a new phone with that kinda of money. Not worth it on a phone that will be outdated in September.


A new phone for $149? You buying a razr?

I'll spend $150 on a phone that I can turn around and sell for $500. Remember that they're $649 new before tax.

Also, if by "outdatated" you mean "still retailing for more than an iPad", then I agree
Rating: 4 Votes
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baryon
73 months ago
So, with AppleCare+ it costs $99 + $49 for a screen repair, and without it it costs $149? Why would anyone get AppleCare+, then?
Rating: 3 Votes
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iphonerepairny
73 months ago
Here's what this new, in-store machine is actually doing:

1. Scraping off the broken digitizer glass from the iPhone 5 display assembly (remember that the LCD and digitizer are glued together with a transparent double sided tape adhesive).
2. Testing that the LCD made it through the separation process intact, both physically and electronically.

3. Attaching a new digitizer glass to the "recycled" LCD, making sure it is affixed accurately (physical calibration is necessary as there is less than 1mm of error in all directions).

4.Finally, testing the whole, refurbished assembly for fit and finish, as well as testing the numerous sensors that are also affixed to the display assembly.

Note: Many "keen-eyed" customers may notice scratches in the finished product (only under the glass) as the LCD is very easily scratched in the scraping process -- however most people won't notice immediately, unless specifically pointed out to them.
Rating: 3 Votes
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rdlink
73 months ago

Any idea of how that will affect Apple's design philosophy?

So far it's been "glue it down if it somehow makes the iThing 1mm thinner."If Apple wants to make it easy for its own store staff to replace more things, may that change?


Your post is a non-sequitor. The iPhone 5 is widely regarded as having among the most serviceable screen of any iPhone. Can be done by an amateur in a matter of minutes, without having to disassemble the rest of the phone.
Rating: 3 Votes

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