Apple is rumoured to be offering free repairs to any iPhones damaged by Hurricane Harvey, which wreaked chaos in Texas and Louisiana over the past week.
Hurricane Harvey brought devastating flooding and water damage to the southern US states. But it’s official Apple policy to not replace iPhones damaged by water, particularly as the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus sport water resistant IP67 certification.
Nor would Apple normally cover damage caused from any impacts sustained by iPhones during hurricane evacuation.
But 9to5Mac readers are reporting that Apple is unofficially offering free repairs to iPhones damaged in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.
Trusted Reviews contacted Apple for confirmation of the reports, but the company has yet to respond.
It would appear that the free repairs are likely being offered on a case-by-case basis in individual stores in Hurricane Harvey affected areas. But there is likely to be some endorsement of the activity from Apple’s top brass, particularly as Tim Cook committed $2m from Apple’s deep coffers to help people reeling from the flooding and damage Harvey has caused.
“Because Texas is home to more than 8,700 of our coworkers, the storm’s impact is felt by all of us. There’s still much to do, and Apple is committed to help,” Cook said in a company-wide email to Apple employees.
Furthermore, Apple has been raising money for Harvey relief efforts through Red Cross donations made by its customers through iTunes and the App Store.
Apple is not the only firm offering help; US mobile carriers Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile are offering free cellular services in areas affected by Harvey in order to keep communications up and running after the hurricane’s disruption.
Related: All you need to know about the iPhone 8
Does Apple need to make the next iPhone tougher? Let us know your thoughts on Twitter or Facebook.
Editorial independence
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.
Editorial independence
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.