Apple Announces $149 Repair Program For iPhone 6 Plus ‘Touch Disease’
Apple is offering to repair iPhone 6 Plus handsets that exhibit display flickering or are having multi-touch issues, though not for free as consumers had hoped. Instead, the "Multi-Touch Repair Program for iPhone 6 Plus," as Apple is calling it, is a new service that runs $149, assuming the screen is in working order without any cracks or otherwise broken.
Three months ago Apple was hit with a class action lawsuit filed in California. The plaintiffs accused Apple of violating the state's consumer fraud statues, alleging that Apple had been aware of an issue that caused iPhone displays to exhibit a thin gray flickering line on the top and in some instances become unresponsive. This was dubbed "Touch Disease" by iFixIt, a teardown website that posts DIY repair guides and sells repair tools for electronics.
"Many other iPhone owners have communicated with Apple’s employees and agents to request that Apple remedy and/or address the Touchscreen Defect and/or resultant damage at no expense. Apple has failed and/or refused to do so," the lawsuit stated.
While that lawsuit is presumably still pending, Apple is willing to repair iPhone devices suffering from so-called Touch Disease for a fee, though it isn't willing to admit culpability. Apple instead suggest the issue is one of user negligence in handling the device.
"Apple has determined that some iPhone 6 Plus devices may exhibit display flickering or multi-touch issues after being dropped multiple times on a hard surface and then incurring further stress on the device," Apple says.
Anyone who has already paid Apple or an authorized service provide for repair related to this issue can contact the Cupertino outfit to be reimbursed for any amount spent above $149 on having it fixed.
Three months ago Apple was hit with a class action lawsuit filed in California. The plaintiffs accused Apple of violating the state's consumer fraud statues, alleging that Apple had been aware of an issue that caused iPhone displays to exhibit a thin gray flickering line on the top and in some instances become unresponsive. This was dubbed "Touch Disease" by iFixIt, a teardown website that posts DIY repair guides and sells repair tools for electronics.
"Many other iPhone owners have communicated with Apple’s employees and agents to request that Apple remedy and/or address the Touchscreen Defect and/or resultant damage at no expense. Apple has failed and/or refused to do so," the lawsuit stated.
While that lawsuit is presumably still pending, Apple is willing to repair iPhone devices suffering from so-called Touch Disease for a fee, though it isn't willing to admit culpability. Apple instead suggest the issue is one of user negligence in handling the device.
"Apple has determined that some iPhone 6 Plus devices may exhibit display flickering or multi-touch issues after being dropped multiple times on a hard surface and then incurring further stress on the device," Apple says.
Anyone who has already paid Apple or an authorized service provide for repair related to this issue can contact the Cupertino outfit to be reimbursed for any amount spent above $149 on having it fixed.
