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The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro models will go on sale on Friday, October 23rd. Apple has now updated the corresponding support page and announced the repair costs.
In anticipation of the upcoming iPhone 12 launch, Apple has updated its iPhone repair support page and announced the prices for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro. In short, there's good news and bad news. Which do you want to read first? Okay, let's get to the good news first. The repair costs for display damage remain unchanged for the Pro model. This means that the screen repair costs €303.06, just like with the iPhone 11 Pro. If AppleCare+ coverage is available, the deductible is €29. For "other damage," €576 is due, just like with the predecessor. If AppleCare+ coverage is available, the deductible is €99.
iPhone 12 more expensive to repair
Now for the bad news. Repair costs for the iPhone 12 have increased compared to its predecessor. A display replacement without AppleCare+ costs €303.06. By comparison, a display repair on the iPhone 11 costs €215.33. "Other damage" will cost €464.88 in the future – for the iPhone 11, the price is €420.04. If AppleCare+ coverage is available, the same deductible applies as for the Pro model. The higher costs for an iPhone 12 repair can be explained by the new OLED panel. However, in this case, a repair should no longer be necessary so quickly. By using ceramic-hardened screens, Apple has made the panels generally more durable. The company explained the whole thing as follows:
iPhone already had the toughest glass in a smartphone, so to dramatically increase the durability of iPhone 12, we had to introduce an entirely new material.
Ceramic Shield - It's made by incorporating nano-ceramic crystals - which are actually harder than most metals - into glass. Sounds simple, but it's incredibly difficult because ceramic isn't transparent. By controlling the type of crystals and the level of crystallinity, we developed an exclusive formula that maximizes the toughness of the ceramic while remaining optically clear. This was the breakthrough that made Ceramic Shield ideal for display. It's a first for any smartphone, and it's harder than any smartphone glass.
Hard is great but we also wanted to make it scratch resistant. Using the same dual ion exchange process we use on the back of the glass, we protect it from nicks, scratches and everyday wear and tear.
Beyond Ceramic Shield, there's another thing that contributes to the durability of the front cover. It sits flush against the edge of the phone, which helps protect it even better. Overall, we've quadrupled drop performance - the biggest year-over-year improvement ever for iPhone.
Repair costs for the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max have not yet been released. Apple is expected to provide these shortly before their launch in November. (Photo by Dorieugene / Bigstockphoto)
