Apple Inc. has reportedly stopped covering hairline cracks on iPhone and Apple Watch displays under its standard warranty. This change will require customers to pay for repairs, a significant shift from the previous policy.
What Happened: Apple’s standard one-year warranty has never included “cosmetic damage” such as scratches, dents, and broken plastic on ports, unless it could be proven that the damage resulted from defective materials or workmanship out of the box.
However, single hairline cracks, which have historically been considered screen defects, were previously covered for free. Now, Apple is advising its stores and authorized service providers to treat all hairline cracks as accidental damage, necessitating customers to pay for repairs, reported 9to5Mac.
While this change currently affects only iPhones and Apple Watches, iPads and Macs remain unaffected.
Here's How Much Screen Repairs Cost
| Device | Repair estimate |
| iPhone 15 Pro Max | $379 |
| iPhone 15 | $279 |
| Apple Watch Series 9 | $349 |
| Apple Vision Pro | $799 |
Interestingly, Apple does not have a screen repair option for the new iPad Pro and iPad Air. Both the new iPads require an AppleCare+ plan, which brings down the repair costs to a nominal $29.
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Why It Matters: This shift in enforcement of Apple’s warranty policy comes after the company made some positive changes to its repair services in recent years, partly due to pressure from the right-to-repair movement.
In 2022, Apple introduced a Self Service Repair program, allowing users to fix iPhone batteries, screens, and cameras. The company also capped broken back glass repairs on the latest iPhone 15 Pro at $199, a significant reduction.
However, this new policy may not sit well with consumers, especially considering a previous move by Apple.
In September, the tech giant quietly increased the battery replacement cost for certain Apple Watch models, a decision that was met with criticism.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo by Ali Abdul Rahman on Unsplash
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