The iPhone 5C seems to be the latest handset added to Apple’s list of products it can have a go at repairing in-store. According to several sources, if you’ve got an iPhone 5C with a cracked or broken screen the Geniuses at your local Apple Store can replace it while you wait, rather than sending it away to be repaired.
What’s more, not only will this save you time, but it’ll also save you money. Although surprisingly, given this combination is marketers wet dream, it’s not had any official promotion as yet. Previously, off-site screen replacements were priced at around $230, but the in-store option drops the price to a more reasonable $150. While that’s still a sizable chunk of cash, it’s considerably less than buying a new iPhone 5C.
It’s more convenient too, as there’s no data to be backed up or potentially lost if you get a replacement device. Of course, Apple’s standard warranty still applies, so in some cases you won’t need to pay at all. Apple reportedly began offering replacement iPhone 5C screens on January 20, following rumors it was about to introduce such a scheme, and that it would be available in all Apple retail stores around the world.
The iPhone 5C joins the iPhone 5 as the two Apple smartphones eligible for the scheme, but the older iPhone 4S and the brand new iPhone 5S must still be sent away for repair. This also holds true for the iPhone 5C if the damage is more extensive, so don’t expect to have everything fixed on site if the shell is broken, or if the phone has stopped working. If your iPhone 5C is still pristine, and you want to avoid a cracked screen, you may want to invest in a colorful protective case to keep it that way.
