As Apple makes AppleCare policy changes, the company decided to begin replacing iPhone 5 screens instead of swapping out the broken units for refurbished devices, saving money for both Apple and its customers. Originally priced at $149, the new iPhone 5 repairs come just one month after it was reported that the company was making a set of sweeping changes to AppleCare that would see brick-and-mortar Apple stores play a bigger role in the company’s repair policy.
As of right now, it appears that the in-store screen fixes are just the beginning of a wider plan that could help Apple save nearly $1 billion per year as the company would be less reliant on swapping out entire devices for a single faulty component. The changes will also benefit consumers as the previous price for a refurbished swap out was $229. Under the new plan, customers who didn’t opt for the AppleCare+ warranty, which costs $99 up front and $49 per replacement, are now able to fix their devices at a more reasonable fee.
In addition to more involved in-store repairs, Apple is expected to roll out a new AppleCare pricing plan or at the very least reconfigure its existing service, based on a subscription model. The new system would be on a per-customer basis, covering all devices a customer owns, which is different from the current AppleCare plan which is sold per device. Also, instead of the current 90 days of free phone support with a new purchase, the refreshed repair service will offer at least one year of support, with the possibility of opening that up to two years at a later date. Last but not least, as part of the new AppleCare direction, Apple will supposedly be building out its online assets, with monitored Community Forums and additional live chat assistance slated to begin this summer.
Are any of you pleased with the way Apple seems to be going in with its AppleCare policy?
Source: Apple via ModMyi (Thanks B-Roll)
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