Hairline cracks on iPhone, Apple Watch are no longer covered by warranty

Bad news if you spot a small crack on the screen of your iPhone or Apple Watch. They are no longer covered by Apple’s standard warranty, according to The 9to5Mac report.

Technically, the standard one year warranty never covered “cosmetic damage” like scratches, dents, and broken plastic on ports unless you could prove it was Apple’s faulty materials or workmanship. However, simple cracks — such as a crack that doesn’t cobweb or have an obvious impact point — have historically been considered screen defects. As such, repairs could be covered free of charge. (Although in reality, your mileage may have varied depending on which Apple Store or repair shop you visited.)

Citing unidentified sources, the 9to5Mac report says that Apple is now advising Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers to treat all cracks as accidental damage. This, in turn, would require customers to pay for repairs. So far, this change reportedly only affects Apple Watches and iPhones, with iPads and Macs remaining unchanged. On the edge reached out to Apple to confirm these details but did not receive an immediate response.

Out of warranty, iPhone screen repairs range from $129 for the iPhone SE and older models to $379 for an iPhone 15 Pro Max. With Apple Care Plus, that price drops to $29 for all models. For the Apple Watch, Apple’s repair estimate website doesn’t specifically detail screen repairs, categorizing them under “other damage.” These costs can range from $249 to $800 depending on the model. That cost drops to $69 to $79 with Apple Care Plus.

While this is a disappointing development, Apple in recent years has made some positive changes regarding repairs, in part thanks to pressure from right-to-repair efforts. In 2021, it launched a self-service repair program that allows users to fix their iPhone battery, screen, and cameras. (However, the reality of using it hasn’t always been so simple.) It also capped broken glass repairs on the latest iPhone 15 Pro at $199, a reduction of nearly $350. In April, the company also announced that this fall it will allow people to repair iPhones with genuine parts used in “select” iPhone models later this fall.