An Apple iPhone 6 Plus that is beyond repair will get a free replacement in the form of the iPhone 6S Plus, according to a leaked document.
The internal memo was supposedly sent out to service providers contracted by Apple for its line of iOS devices. The exchange option will take effect if determined that components required in the service work are no longer available.
"Orders for whole unit service inventory of some iPhone 6 Plus models may be substituted to an iPhone 6s Plus," the Apple memo read, per the exclusive report published by fan site MacRumors.
If the document will prove authentic, it is understood that Apple intends to implement the replacement program until the end of March 2018.
When Will Apple Offer Free Upgrade
While Apple has yet to comment on the matter, it is assumed the decision to offer an upgrade for owners of malfunctioning iPhone 6 Plus units was made due to practical reasons. The same report indicated that mass production of the handset model in question has been discontinued, and so were the key inner components that run the device.
It could be that Apple saw it more economical to replace qualified units with the successor model, which is the iPhone 6S Plus, than to restart production of replacement components. It is unclear, however, if the replacement 6S Plus units will be issued brand new or refurbished.
Also, it's important to note that an iPhone 6 Plus turned in for work service will not be automatically processed for replacement. It is likely Apple will set clear conditions on when the program will apply, like if the damage components will be difficult to source.
Some good examples of damaged iPhone parts that will be hard to replace are handset motherboard and inner components of the Lightning connector port. In most cases, Apple service technicians will recommend outright replacement for handsets observed with the busted internal parts.
In addition, it's possible too that battery replacement for the iPhone 6 Plus will be listed under the outright replacement category but on limited basis. Apple is expected to replenish its battery inventory of the handset model around April this year, so for such cases, the offer could only be extended until March, as mentioned above.
In any case, the likelihood of iPhone 6 Plus users getting a bump up to its immediate sequel poses an exciting prospect. The iPhone 6S Plus, after all, boasts of a faster, more powerful, and more efficient CPU in the A9 SoC with 2 GB of RAM support. Moreover, the latter represents a big step up in terms of camera prowess, which is a shooting combo of 12 MP on rear and 5 MP on front.
