Apple is planning to extend its iPhone screen repair program with 5s and 5c screen replacements!

Apple has been offering in-house repairs for iPhone 5 since January and as an extension of their project, the company has been planning to do the same for iPhone 5s and 5c. This may sound like a bonus for the iPhone owners, but the program could unsettle 3rd party iPhone repair businesses throughout the US and worldwide.

What can you expect from iPhone screen repair initiative?

Apple is planning to offer a dozen various repairs on top of screen replacements and is immediately planning to supply repair training and additional tools for these additional services.

Apple stores will be equipped with special machinery to provide touch screen replacement and other similar LCD screen assembly defects.

iPhones within the warranty period might get free repair services with a quick response time of one hour or less.

Consumers with old iPhones can get iPhone 5, 5s and 5c screen repairs for as low as $149.

Before this initiative, iPhone owners could only get a replacement device for a hefty $229  (iPhone 5).  This new repair program will offer comparatively cheaper repair costs and much improved repair times. In addition to the display, the stores will offer repair and replacement for faulty cameras, volume buttons, vibrating motors, and speakers.

Owners with older iPhone models will now have the much cheaper option to pay to replace their specific defect rather than receive an over-the-counter exchange for a refurbished unit. iPhone users with older models only had the option to pay the full (out of warranty) replacement cost of the device, which was usually too high and thus sought out 3rd party repair shops.

Suggested price for iPhone 5, 5c and 5s home button repair will only be $29!

These considerably lower prices repair charges would adversely affect local iPhone workshops charging significantly higher fees for more basic repair jobs.

According to the sources, Apple’s new repair platform will reduce the bottom line on their AppleCare+ Warranty program and In-Warranty replacements and drive more traffic into their retail stores. They also note damage sustained from 3rd party repair shops using aftermarket parts and improper repair techniques will be considerably reduced.

Wait-times for walk-in customers are expected to lower; under an hour or less for most repairs. Previously, even a straight replacement phone took over an hour by the time the users original phone could be backed up and restored to the new device.

There are rumors that the repair kits, machinery and proper training have already begun to be dispatched to certain Apple Retail store locations. This new move by Apple is sure to have 3rd party iPhone screen repair shops wondering how far Apple plans to tap into a services market that they’ve stayed clear of in the past.