Should You Fix That Broken Phone or Gadget or Just Buy a New One?

When does it pay to repair your smartphone or tablet versus just buying something brand new?

Apple's new iPhone is getting bigger and better. Samsung's latest flagship phone sports sleek and sexy curves. But just because there are a bunch of new gadgets coming out loaded with all the latest and greatest tech's appeal, it doesn't mean it's smart to get a new device right this second. Even if your current handset is a few years old, has a scratch or two, or boasts the battery life of a sloth, you might be wasting some serious cash by replacing — versus repairing — your smartphone right now.

You're due for an upgrade - Make sure to do your calculation now days there is no upgrade you have to pay the over 24 months, If it's cheaper to replace it than to repair it, there's really no good reason to hang on to your old phone no matter how faithful it's been to you but you will be surprised to see what it actually costs you to get that new upgrade.

Whatever the case, always weigh out the costs from beginning to end to be sure you're not being sucked dry by smaller charges along the way. A new phone might sound like the cheaper route at first, until you factor in the activation charge, potential changes in your carrier's service plan, and the cost of committing to your current carrier for up to two more years, if necessary.

Is it trully an upgrade You just want the next big thing for no good reason - If your phone or tablet is perfectly functional, and maybe even aesthetically perfect, but you're tempted to upgrade simply because there's something new, do your best to resist the urge. This is especially true if example iPhone 6/6s to iPhone 7, its not an upgrade  (you lose your headphone jack for same phone with a new name) or money is tight and your phone is less than three years old. Try picking up a snazzy new case instead, to give your gadget a new look with a much smaller price tag.

The screen is cracked - One in 10 people are walking around with cracked smartphones right now. If you like your phone but can't deal with a broken screen check us out and see how much it will cost to get your gadget back in tip-top shape. Replacing screens should cost around less than $100. Chances are that's going to be a heck of a lot cheaper than buying a whole new phone, and you can use the money you saved on something you really need… like a case that will your phone from getting cracked again!

Not holding Charge, need new battery - If you like your phone is not holding the charge a simple battery replacement is all you need and is usually less than around $55.

You ran out of storage - If you're out of room on your phone to store music, apps, and videos, try picking up a larger storage card if there's a slot for one on your device. Or just download Google Photos it will automatically backup your pictures and storage will be on the cloud, so you can free up the space on your phone.  Move the stuff you don't use very often onto your computer for safekeeping. This will give you more room while saving you the big bucks you'd need to spend on an entirely new device.

When you should upgrade or get that new Gadget:

Dust flies when it rings - Is your phone old? I don't mean a few years old, I mean "Oh my gosh, I can't play Angry Birds without it freezing and restarting" old. Or, God forbid, do you have to flip your phone open in order to use it? Yeah, you need and upgrade. Things have changed a lot in the past five years or so, and if your phone is older than a first grader, you deserve a new device, so treat yourself!

You literally can't use it - Is your phone so broken that you can't even really use it as a phone? That includes things like a completely busted display — and not just the glass, but the entire screen — or extensive water damage, shattered camera lense, or broken internals that keep it from functioning in even the most basic way. If so, there may be no way to save it. Checking the repair sites mentioned above is always a good idea, but if it's going to cost almost as much to repair it as it would to simply replace it, go ahead and upgrade, simply because you'll likely get a new warranty against further damage.

Your iPhone Suffers from so called 'touch disease'

An increasing number of iPhone users are reporting an issue with iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus phones freezing up and becoming unresponsive to touch.  The issue even has a deadly sounding name: "Touch disease."  There are a lot of iPhones out there, and there's some evidence that this particular issue is fairly widespread and potentially impacting thousands of users. 

Apple has finally officially acknowledged the problem, and has announced a repair program for only iPhone 6 Plus model only on November 17 with a price tag of $150. More details here.  Apple is yet to acknowledge on other iPhone models.  

How do I know if my phone is suffering from touch disease?

The most visible symptom is a flickering grey bar at the top of your screen.  But the flickering screen isn't the only symptom. Frequently, users report that after the grey bar starts flickering, the screen becomes intermittently unresponsive across the entire display.  If you are unsure bring it to iTech iPhone Repair in Parsippany Nj, and we will be able to diagnose it for you.  There is no charge for diagnosis.

Which iphone models are affected? 

By far, the most commonly affected models are the iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 Plus that first went on sale in 2014.

One of the most common reason behind "touch disease" is that certain contacts inside the phone are bending, which leads to them breaking. The theory goes, these are the after effects of bendgate problem affecting iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

The issue has been reported in the iPhone 6S ,and iPhone 6S Plus as well, but at lower rates. 

How much does it cost to get fixed? 

Apple has finally acknowledged epidemic Touch Disease--and is making customers pay to to fix their own design flaw for $150 for iPhone 6 Plus Only.

What does this mean for you as a customer?

1.) Apple will not repair your iPhone, but may instead swap it for one from their refurbished replacement stock. This means you may lose your data.

2.) Apple does not deny that Replacement Stock phones may contain boards harvested from phones with prior history of drop or bend, and therefore likely to develop the same problem down the road.

3.) Apple can not confirm that there have been any changes made to the original design, such as a futureproof metal shield, that will reduce the risk of this problem happening again.

4.) If you have any secondary issues with your device such as screen or frame damage you will not be eligible for the repair/swap program, and will have to pay $349 for regular out of warranty swap with refurbished stock.

5.) There is only a 90 day warranty on the repair/swap.

6.) The program for Apple to repair their own defective product is not free. You will pay $149 to have their design flaw either fixed or swapped for another board with the same underlying fault.

We continue to stand by our bona fide REPAIR solution for touch problems with no fix no fee guarantee. We offer a superior 6 month warranty backed by money back guarantee, our repair will not void your chance of having this repair done by apple.  We actually repair YOUR board with no swaps, and offer no fix no fee guarantee.  To Schedule your repair or questions Contact Us.