Whenever you have had to take your iPhone to the service centre, there is always an apprehension whether the fault will be covered under warranty or not, isn’t it? The reason for such confusion is that Apple doesn’t explicitly state the inclusions and exclusions of iPhone warranty.
A recently discovered document by Business Insider gives us some insights into the internal guidelines that Apple follows for iPhone warranty repairs. The guide notes that the problems that are definitively covered by the Apple warranty include defective pixels, debris under the display glass, misaligned FaceTime camera foam, and/or a hairline crack on the front glass unaccompanied by any other cracks. Here’s a screenshot that shows the different eligibility levels:
One Apple retail technician told business insider, “We have one [VMIs] just like that for all of the products”. He went on to say, “Used more for the physical inspection and how to determine the cost for damage. That’s half the training for iPhone techs.” However, another retail technician suggested that they “don’t refer to it all that often” unless there’s an “oddball issue.”
According to Apple’s Website, the warranties won’t cover “damage resulting from accident, disassembly, unauthorised service and unauthorized modifications,” such as using an unofficial battery or dropping a phone in a bathtub.
The VMI explains that the technicians are expected to conduct inspections and ask different questions if they suspect liquid damage. They can still grant warranty coverage if an external liquid indicator has been slipped, but no other signs have been detected. However, the Apple retailer mentioned that the VMI isn’t the final word. “There are always those one-off issues that the phone is technically not covered under warranty, but we swap the phone anyways under warranty,” he said.
We know that these are just top level pointers about Apple’s iPhone warranty policy, but given how secretive Apple is about everything, this is worthy information. You won’t be able to fight your case with Apple technician by referring to these documents as they aren’t an official release, but at least you’ll know what to expect if and when your iPhone gets damaged.
Images Source: Apple Insider