Apple iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c users will soon be able to get their phone screen replaced in-store.
Sources report that special machinery, designed to specifically calibrate the touch screens, is arriving in shops.
The repair process will be available to both AppleCare and non-AppleCare subscribers and will take between 30 mins and 1 hour, a short process in comparison to the time it takes to sync, back up and move content when a device is replaced.
Customers will also be able to get their volume buttons, vibrating motor, rear-camera and speaker systems replaced on both the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c.
In addition, iPhone 5c users will be able to get their home button fixed. Apple are not offering in-store replacement of the 5s’ Touch ID sensor though.
Replacements due to defects will be free under AppleCare warranty, however users who’ve accidentally damaged their phones will be able to pay for the service along with customers who decided not to get AppleCare.
Prices are much more affordable than the hundreds of pounds it costs to completely replace a device. They include a $29 surcharge for Home button replacement, $79 cost for battery replacement and $149 cost for screen replacement.
The move is part of a long-running initiative from Apple to save around $1 billion a year spent on the logistics of replacing phones.
In October 2011, it brought out the AppleCare extended warranty plan alongside the iPhone 4S, giving users coverage for up to two incidents of accidental damage.
Then in June this year iPhone 5 customers were offered in-store display replacements for the first time.
The date on which the in-store service will be rolled out for the iPhone 5s and 5c has not yet been announced.
Now, read our iPhone 5s review
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
