iPhone 5 Repair Prices Falling!

It's nearly been a year since the iPhone 5 was released here in the US, and it's taken almost that long for repair prices to come down to a reasonable level. I'm going to talk a little about why the prices stayed high for SOO long, but the real exciting news is that prices have FINALLY come down on the parts! iHeart Repair will begin offering iPhone 5 glass repairs for $159.95 beginning (7/15).

Let's talk about why the parts for the iPhone 5 have been so expensive in the past and why they continue to carry a premium over their iPhone 4S counterparts.

1. Apple is exercising greater control over their parts. Since the release of the iPhone 5 and the iPad Mini, Apple has shown greater control over the chips that are needed in the manufacturing of these parts.
2. Parts manufactures are getting smart. Instead of manufacturing as many knock off parts, (Non OEM) they have been waiting until OEM parts become available before ramping up production. Many of these OEM parts are recycled from broken iPhone 5 screens. By doing this, they create a huge imbalance in supply & demand that takes months to resolve. This means the price of the parts stays higher for longer, but the quality of parts supplied is significantly better.
3. The technology is more advanced. Apple introduced in-cell touch screen technology with the introduction of the iPhone 5. This technology combines the touch sensitive layer and the LCD layer into one. This decreases the weight and thickness of the device. This technology was harder for manufacturers to replicate & increased the demand for recycled parts instead of using brand new parts.

It's frustrating for everyone that the parts have been this expensive for so long, but the reasons behind the price increase are actually good for the environment and allows for a better quality iPhone 5 repair for the end consumer. We at iHeart Repair like this... a lot!