If you’ve bought an iPhone or you are planning to in the near future you’re probably concerned about how much it will cost to repair if it breaks. Videos with the device cracking and bending have gone more viral than hit songs. There have only been 9 reported bent iPhones in the first week. Apple representatives said replacing the phone on their dime or charging you for the repair is up to the apple store clerk, or “genius”, as they’re called. The product doesn’t promise to be indestructible or resist to certain forces, so you will most likely need to pay for repair of replacement of your iPhone. In case of a cracked screen, it’s definitely not covered under warranty. The first person to buy an iPhone in Australia dropped it as he was opening the box and it cracked the screen. The rush to get the phone out of the box in front of all the reporters made him drop his much awaited phone. It made world news. It just goes to show you that you can break your iPhone even before using it. So what are the iPhone 6 and 6+ repair costs?
109$ is what an iPhone 6 screen replacement will cost you. It goes up to 129$ if you have the iPhone 6+ model. If you opted for AppleCare+ you will only pay 79$ for either one. AppleCare+ will cost you another 99$ but will cover you for two years. The problem is you only get two repairs for the discounted price under the plan. That means if you drop your iPhone 6 you would pay 178$ for a screen replacement (including AppleCare). If you drop it again, your tally goes up to 257$. If you are only concerned about the screen, it’s cheaper to not get the extended warranty plan. The iPhone 6+ screen replacement will also be cheaper for your first cracked screen, and only 1$ more expensive for the second screen replacement.
But when it comes to repairs, screens aren’t the only thing that make the phone. Apple classifies its repairs in 3 categories: screen, battery and other. The last one might mean the loudspeaker, microphone, camera, TouchID button, or many other components. For these repairs Apple will charge you 299$ for the iPhone 6 or 329$ for the iPhone 6+. With AppleCare+ you will only pay 79$ though, in either case, for the first 2 repairs. The battery replacement comes free under standard warranty for one year, and 2 years if you get AppleCare. Outside of warranty it will cost you 79$.
The best thing you can do to protect your iPhone is to get any sort of physical protection. A screen guard and a rubber or plastic case can do wonders. A cover can cost as low as 3$ on Ebay, 10$ at a local kiosk or more if you want some bling. If you still manage to break your phone with the extra protection and didn’t opt for the AppleCare, you might find unauthorized phone repair shops a good bang for the buck. The iPhone is not made of space-age materials, parts are easier to come by than ever before. Unless you short circuit your processor or get water damage, it’s very likely that your local phone repair shop can fix it and you won’t break the bank. Be careful though, and shop around for your repair services, some shops might overcharge.