Apple Ends Free Out-of-Warranty iPhone 7 Microphone Repairs

Credit: TechCrunch
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Apple has ended free out-of-warranty repairs for iPhone 7 devices with microphone issues.

Reportedly, the problem affects iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus devices running iOS 11.3 or later. The bug caused issues with being heard in phone or FaceTime calls and sometimes resulted in a grayed-out speaker button on the iPhone’s display.

The issue and the repair procedures were first disclosed in an internal document sent to Genius Bar staff and Apple Authorized Service Providers in May. While Apple hasn’t acknowledged the issue publicly, the existence of the support document confirms that it was aware of it.

That document instructed repair technicians on how to diagnose and possibly alleviate the problem. It also told technicians to make an exception if an impacted device was out-of-warranty. Essentially, Apple would fix the issue on out-of-warranty phones for free.

While this was never an official, full-fledged repair program, it now seems to have ended.

Several sources at multiple Authorized Service Providers told MacRumors last week that the internal document has been deleted. That means Apple repair technicians can no longer offer free repairs through the company’s own proprietary systems.

In other words, getting the issue fixed will now cost impacted users the usual out-of-repair warranty price.

While the bug was never particularly widespread, a number of iPhone 7 and 7 Plus users are still being affected by it. MacRumors’ sources indicated that the issue has not been resolved on Apple’s side, and it isn’t clear why the company chose to end the service.

Of course, if you have an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus with the aforementioned bug that’s still under the standard one-year or extended AppleCare+ warranty, you should be able to get your device fixed with no out-of-pocket costs.

How to Set up a Genius Bar Appointment

You can set up an appointment at a Genius Bar or authorized repair provider through the company’s Contact Apple Support page.

  1. Select iPhone
  2. Repairs & Physical Damage
  3. Unable to Hear Through Receiver or Speakers
  4. Built-in Speaker
  5. Bring In For Repair.
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