AppleCare

Some iPhone 6 Plus owners who have dropped their devices are experiencing a gray flickering bar at the top of the display. This visual problem is often accompanied by issues with the touch screen and gestures not working, in a bug that has been described as "Touch Disease". Although this is rare, enough customers have been affected by the problem that Apple launched an official Multi-Touch Repair Program for iPhone 6 Plus. So how can one get their iPhone 6 Plus touch screen fixed?

Now that AppleCare+ pricing on Apple Watch has been released, many buyers will purchase coverage. Besides extending the default warranty, the service provides for two incidents of accidental damage repair for a fee. But what happens when the Apple Watch falls outside the warranty period, or if the device is not covered by an AppleCare+ plan?

The simple answer is that customers will have to pay out of pocket for repairs. Damage not covered under warranty or any necessary repairs after the warranty (or AppleCare+) expires incurs a fee. Apple Authorized Service Providers will charge for service based upon the following schedule:

Apple has announced a special deal along with standard AppleCare+ pricing on Apple Watch. iPhone owners without AppleCare+ will have the option to purchase an AppleCare+ combo plan with their watch, covering both devices for two years. While the plans cost the same as purchasing both plans separately, there is an advantage to the combo deal.

iPhones up to six months old can be covered at the time of Apple Watch purchase for two years. This is in contrast to standard policies, which require that AppleCare+ be purchased within 60 days. Covering both devices will run $149 with an Apple Watch Sport, $169 for Apple Watch, and $1600 for Apple Watch Edition. Apple Watch Edition owners get three years of coverage with AppleCare+.

It is hard to believe but not everyone obsesses over their smartphone, and a lot of people probably don't realize how much iOS 7 is going to change the look of their Apple devices. This leaves no doubt that iOS 7 is going to confuse and anger many users once it becomes public in September, but Apple is making sure that its technical staff is ready to handle the backlash.

Apple is requiring that its AppleCare staff complete iOS 7 training by the "second week of September," according to 9to5Mac. Apple is also asking part-time employees to become full-time members in anticipation of a busy September launch. Requiring that its staff be prepared for a new product is nothing new, but Apple employees may be fielding a lot more calls than usual when it comes to iOS 7.

One of the best deals in iPhone 5 repair just hit Apple retail locations. The Genius Bar will now perform in-store iPhone 5 display repairs for just $149 for those who didn't bother to purchase AppleCare. According to MacRumors, Apple stands to save around $1 billion per year by performing the repairs locally at retail locations.

Customers will also benefit, now that a busted or malfunctioning iPhone 5 screen can be repaired in-house, saving both time and money. Apple is shifting its services to provide more repair options at a lower cost. This has pressed independent repair outfits to drop pricing in a bid to remain competitive against the iPhone manufacturer.