It’s somewhat needless to say, but the iPhone 5 (or the iPhone in general) is a really popular smartphone. So popular, in fact, that you’d be hard pressed not to see one while out in public. I see them all the time, whether I’m at the movie theaters (which is the last place you want to see one) or dining inside a restaurant. And the one thing I’ve noticed, more than on any other smartphone, is people continue to use their iPhones after the screen has been cracked.
When I ask them why they don’t get their screens fixed they usually say one of two things: It costs too much or I they don’t know how. Well, it looks like Apple is trying to solve both of these problems by offering in-store replacements (or repairs) of iPhone 5 displays for just $150. The best part? This is the cost of repair for those who didn’t buy Apple Care+ when first getting their iPhone, $80 lower than the previous cost of $230. Those who did purchase Apple’s protection plan would simply pay the $50 deductible which brings the total cost to the same $150 ($100 up front, $50 deductible).
Now, before any of you who bought Apple Care+ begin to feel ripped off, don’t worry. Apple Care+ still offers the advantage of covering two incidents with a $50 deductible each time. Meaning, if you break your iPhone’s screen twice (trust me, it happens), it would only cost you a total of $200 with Apple Care+ ($100 upfront, two $50 deductibles). Without it, even with the new lower cost of replacement, you’d still be dishing out $300 ($150 each time). Not just that, but Apple Care+ covers other things like your iPhone’s battery, the USB cable and power adapter, and even the EarPod headphones that come with the phone.
While this move will most likely be welcomed by iPhone users everywhere (at least the ones that didn’t purchase Apple Care+), don’t for a second think that Apple isn’t getting anything out of it. By repairing iPhone displays in-store instead of just offering replacement devices, Apple is projected to save approximately $1,000,000,000. Yeah, that’s one billion dollars. I wrote it with all the zeroes to remind everyone of how big that number really is.
In addition to the screen replacements, Apple is expected to offer in-store repairs for the iPhone’s camera, buttons, and logic boards in the near future. Changes to the Apple Care+ program are also being rumored, with Apple reportedly planning to change to a subscription based model that covers the customer instead of covering just one specific device (kind of how insurance works with the wireless carriers). From what I’ve heard so far, I think I like the changes that Apple has and plans to make. What about you? Let me know what you think in the comments below!
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