As part of its recent moves to revamp its repair policies, Apple has begun replacing iPhone 5 screens at Apple retail stores. The new screen replacement service is priced at $149.
MacRumors heard from a tipster this morning that the new repair policy had been implemented and the changes have since been confirmed in a forum post from iPhone repair site Quick iFix. The repairs are available for cracked displays as well as screens that experience multitouch issues.
Changes to the company’s repair policies were first reported last month, when Apple employees were told that the company would begin in-house repairs of displays in June. The move is part of an effort to save approximately $1 billion per year.
The new display replacement pricing aligns well with AppleCare+ pricing, which is $99 up front, and $49 for each replacement. The new service is a more economical option for iPhone customers who chose to opt out the AppleCare+ coverage at the time of purchase. iPhone replacement previously would cost $229.
Apple is expected to be offering other in-house repair options in July, with repairs of the iPhone’s camera, sleep/wake button, and logic boards to be offered. Apple is also reported to be preparing to switch AppleCare to a subscription based service to be tied to the customer, in place of individual devices.
