What’s the Difference Between Apple Repair and Third-Party Repair?

Most of us will fall victim to a broken iPhone at some point. You’ve probably had to get your phone fixed at some point, whether because of a broken screen or a dying battery. iPhone repairs, though, maybe a bit of a gray area, with warranties and insurance policies coming into play with manufacturers typically holding all the cards. Concerns that an Apple Store might not acknowledge often find eager investigators among independent parties. Apple repairs were notoriously difficult because of the focus on the battery & screen, such as fixing a broken Wi-Fi antenna or reviving a phone with extensive damage.

Depending on the nature of your issue, this adaptability could prove useful. However, the main difference between the two relies on mainly credibility part. Third-Party Apple Repairs could get your things fixed, however, they don’t guarantee anything from the brand itself. In some cases, there might be major concerns related to the warranty as well if a customer chooses to go through third-party repairs. Apple Repairs on the other hand might be costly, but they follow proper procedures which are a part of the official standard of procedures.

Difference Between Apple Repair and Third-Party Repair

What are Apple Repairs?

Apple-approved service centers employ only certified technicians who are authorized to work on Apple products and who only use Apple-supplied replacement components.  Apple only guarantees repairs made by authorized service centers. You may rest assured that your product will be restored to full functionality regardless of which route you take. If you have a problem with your Apple product, you can schedule a shipment to an Apple Repair Centre online or over the phone. Many Apple products are supported by this service.

Access to a wide variety of repair centers for Apple products is made possible via their network of Apple Authorized Service Providers.  It is possible to arrange for an iPhone screen replacement expert to come to your house or place of business in some locations. There’s more to do than just browse and learn skills at an Apple Store. Make an appointment with a Genius to have hardware fixed by starting a repair request.

What are Apple Third-Party Repairs?

There is quite a difference when it comes to Apple Third Party repairs, as it involves such stores which have received certain certifications from Apple itself.
But one thing to keep in mind is that, despite receiving the certification, it does not involve the policies and conditions which Apple provides on their goods (i.e., iWatch, iPhone, etc) These third-party repairs are considered to be useful when your Apple Products are out of the warranty period and you have faced some sort of operations and functional issues with them. 

Apple Standard Repairs policy includes fixing faults that are caused at a manufacturing level, which are absolutely free of cost to repair at times. However, that’s not the same case when it comes to third-party repairs, you will be charged but might get a better turnaround time for the fix. Apple has argued that unofficial repairs could leave its products vulnerable to hackers and usage of poorer-grade parts. Additionally, Apple has defended its battery warning signal as a “safety” feature, which it has implemented to notify consumers if their phone’s replacement battery did not originate from an authorized Apple service provider.

Difference Between Apple Repair and Third-Party Repair

It’s an old dilemma for iPhone users. When you need a repair badly, from a cracked screen to a malfunctioning port, where do you head to? An Apple Store or an eager third-party phone repair shop that’s not exactly Apple certified? We’re not going to make the decision for you – but we are going to make the decision easier. Check out the advantages and disadvantages of choosing either!

✓ Third-Party Repair

Advantages:

You can get great bargains: Third-party repair ships are more likely to offer repair discounts and lower repair fees overall. If you don’t have much money for repairs but really need your phone working again, then third parties are usually a better place to start.

Better availability: Apple Stores aren’t everywhere, and shipping your iPhone may not be an option, especially if time is an important consideration. It’s often easier to find a third-party service. Also, most third parties just let you walk right in with your phone, while the repair process is a little more complicated with Apple Stores.

A broader scope of repairs: Third parties are often willing to look into issues that an Apple Store doesn’t usually recognize (Apple repairs famously revolved around the battery and screen) – such as repairing a faulty Wi-Fi antenna, resuscitating a massively damaged phone, etc. This flexibility may be valuable, based on your problem.

Saving data: It’s often Apple Store policy to erase a phone when significant repairs are made. Third-party shops are generally more willing to save your valuable data and work with you to make sure you don’t lose anything.

Disadvantages:

Warranty issues: Using a non-certified third-party shop is a great way to void pretty much all of the warranties on your iPhone. That means you won’t be able to turn to Apple for any sort of screen replacement, model replacement, or anything else. This is more important in the first year or two of use when warranties are still active, but much less important afterward.

Third parties can make mistakes: It isn’t as common as you might be afraid of, but it does happen. A good example is the iPhone 8 screen repair debacle, where users found that third parties hadn’t properly replaced the screens, which continued to suffer problems until a further fix was found. Of course, certified third parties are far, far less likely to make such mistakes.

Apple still doesn’t like third-party repairs: At all. In fact, they have recently started locking MacBook Pros and iMac Pros from being repaired at all by third parties who do not have full access to Apple Service Toolkit 2. Battery and screen features often won’t work with third-party replacements, either – although this is probably due to compatibility problems rather than strategy.

✓ Apple Repair

Advantages:

Reliable parts: Apple components are frequent targets of counterfeiting, and third parties may use cheaper parts to fix problems as a shortcut. This could lead to faster breakdowns in the future or compatibility issues.

Trained experts: This is a pretty obvious advantage in most cases. Apple technicians have exactly the right training and tools to perform repairs. This is very important when it comes to replacing iPhone batteries and other tricky tasks.

Keeping up with technology: New iPhone models tend to be on the cutting edge, and a lot of third-party repair shops may not have caught up. This means that problems with advanced features like OLED screens or high-tech dual cameras should probably be left to Apple’s professionals.

Easy replacements: In case of internal damage, Apple can send your phone in for an easy replacement, a service that third parties can’t offer. Of course, if your warranties are out of date, this move could cost you, but at least it’s always an option.

Disadvantages:

Setting up appointments: For any type of serious iPhone repair, Apple generally has you set up an appointment to bring your phone into the Store, which can make scheduling tricky. Another common option is to mail your phone in for repairs, but this tends to lengthen the process – sometimes by weeks. The advantage of this process is that you can check online to see what your current repair status is, but that’s not exactly a great trade-off.

Costs: Apple repair fees do tend to be higher than third-party costs (a basic replacement can cost several hundred dollars on newer iPhones), and they aren’t going down any time soon. This could make even minor repairs painful for your wallet.

Repairs and service are not guaranteed: You can still have failed repairs at an Apple Store, and experiences that are messy and disappointing. An Apple Store is no guarantee of quality, especially during busy times of the year. Although Apple is more likely to rectify a mistake should one occur.

Conclusion

Apple & Third-Party repair are two separate things, which benefit consumers based on different requirements. Customers need to understand when to choose either of the two options. In conclusion, it’s a battle between warranty period, price, and time. If you have faced an issue related to functionality within the warranty limit, it’s better to go for the Apple Official Repair. However, if you have fallen out of the warranty zone and need a quick repair, then it would be best to choose a third-party Apple Certified Repair Shop in the region.

FAQs

How To Use Apple’s New Repair Program?

Apple Self-Service Repair allows you to make an out-of-warranty repair on your Apple product with access to original Apple components, tools, and repair manuals, provided you have the necessary expertise. 

Do Third-Party iPhone Screen Repair Good?

It really depends on the experience of the technicians. There are numerous repair shops present in the marketplace that perform outclass screen repairs that make your iPhone look as good as new. Make sure to check the repair experience of the Repair shops and whether they are certified by some authorities for validations purposes. Last but not least, make sure to check whether the screen repair of the respective third party has better reviews or not, before making a decision.

Read more about What to Do If Your iPad Screen is Cracked.