Apple launches an iPhone 12 repair program for handsets with sound issues

Apple will fix it for free

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If you own one of theiPhone 12oriPhone 12 Promodels and you can’t hear the person you’re talking to on calls,Applemay repair or replace your handset for free under the terms of a new service program that has just been introduced.

“Apple has determined that a very small percentage of iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro devices may experience sound issues due to a component that might fail on the receiver module,” Apple states in asupport document.

According to Apple, affected devices were manufactured between October 2020 and April 2021. The fault has not been spotted iniPhone 12 miniandiPhone 12 Pro Maxmodels, so they’re not included in this particular program.

Two-year window

It’s the first repair program to be announced for the iPhone 12, though of course we’ve seen plenty of them before: forcrackling in the AirPods Pro, forfaulty screens on the iPad Air, forunresponsive displays on the iPhone 11, and more.

To get your iPhone looked at, you can get in touch with Apple Support, go to an Apple Store, or visit an authorized Apple service provider –see herefor details. iPhones “will be examined prior to any service to verify that it is eligible for this program” Apple says.

In order to qualify for the program, you must have bought your iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro within the last two years – so if your handset is fine now but develops problems in the future, you can still get a free service from Apple as long as those two years aren’t up.

Opinion: service programs show Apple can be relied upon

When you’re buying an item of hardware from Apple, you’ll often find you’re paying more than you might pay for something of the equivalent spec from another manufacturer – but service programs like the one just launched for the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro show how your purchasing decision should be about more than just how much you’re paying.

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If you were critical, you might say that these service programs reveal the shoddy workmanship and quality control at Apple’s suppliers, but nevertheless it is reassuring that when a problem is identified, Apple is usually quick to swing into action.

And these service programs couldn’t be any more straightforward to make use of: you can put your device in the post, take it into an Apple Store, or deal with one of the authorized service partners that Apple works with, all without paying any money.

Apple has certainly made missteps in the past – not least with the poorly thought through butterfly keyboard design that it previously used on its MacBooks, which wasn’tacknowledged as faultyfor a long time – but generally speaking, the occasional appearance of these service programs is going to give buyers more confidence.

Via9to5Mac

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.

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