It happens at the worst possible times. Your iPhone just won’t seem to hold a charge, a button stops working or your child knocks it down and cracks the screen. Do you take it to the Apple store or an independent iPhone repair shop? Your choice depends on several factors.
If your phone is still covered under warranty or Apple Care and has a covered problem, the Apple Store Genius Bar is the solution. There will be no charge for covered problems, including data recovery if necessary. Apple Care+ covers some extra things Apple Care does not, including accidental damage. Accidental damage covered by Apple Care+ will require a service fee. Repairs come with a 90-day guarantee. If your phone has a problem that can’t be fixed in-store, they will send it out for repair and probably give you a loaner to use. If it can’t be repaired at all, they will replace it.
If your phone is covered, you’ll need to book an appointment for the Genius Bar. They will handle walk-in customers, but those who have appointments come first, so you could be in for a long wait if it’s a weekend. It’s a good idea to call first just to make sure your problem will be covered before you go through the process. You could go to an independent shop, but if their repair causes problems later, Apple Care won’t cover fixing those problems.
If you live far away from an Apple store and the phone is still under warranty or has Apple Care, try contacting Apple customer service. They can help you try different software solutions to get the phone to work if the problem isn’t obvious outer damage. If they can’t fix it over the phone or by chat, they will send it to an Apple Repair Center. If going to an Apple store isn’t feasible you can choose to send it to the repair center. Apple will send you a special box for shipping the phone to the repair center. This process takes longer than going to the Apple store, of course.
If you no longer have a warranty or Apple Care+, you will probably want to go to an iPhone repair shop. They almost always charge less for repairs than the Genius Bar would. If the repair is a small one, you have a choice. If your repair will be a large one, the iPhone repair store is the solution. With larger repairs, the Apple Store often charges so much that you might as well get a new phone.
Many people can’t afford to buy a new iPhone every year or two, and so hang onto their phones as long as possible. To counteract this, Apple has designated any device over five to seven years old as “retro” for repair purposes, and won’t repair it at all. They just want to sell you a new one. This goes for other devices such as iPads as well. If you have a small repair on an older phone you could check with the Apple Store to see if yours falls into the retro category. A better choice might be to just go to an independent iPhone repair store. Some even have second-hand or refurbished items for sale if your phone can’t be repaired or a refurbished model will be less expensive.
When choosing an independent iPhone repair shop, stick to those that have been in business for a few years. Ask them what kind of repair parts they use OEM or aftermarket parts. Aftermarket parts are less expensive and some may not be as dependable. See if they offer a warranty on repairs, and of course, check their pricing. With the popularity of the iPhone, most repairs are done within the same day. Check our repair options and if you are ready, here you can schedule your repair.
If you are having problems with your iPhone, you can contact us immediately and get technical support. iFone Repair is always there to help you with your electronic device problems. Also, for scheduling your repair you may book an appointment at your convenience.