If an iPhone 8 keeps restarting or locking up, then the unit could be among those equipped with a defective logic board.
In an advisory on its support page, Apple announced that the company has discovered that a small percentage of iPhone 8 devices contain a logic board with manufacturing defects.
Apple said affected devices could experience restarts, frozen screens, or will not even turn off. Apple also identified the defective units as those sold between Sept. 2017 and Mar. 2018, in several countries such as Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Macau, New Zealand, and the United States.
Serial Number Can Determine Defective iPhone 8
Apple can detect a defective unit through its eligible serial number. If the serial number is on the list, Apple will repair the iPhone 8 for free. Apple also provided an online checker where users can determine if their iPhone is among the defective batch.
The user has an option to take the unit to an authorized service center or Apple Store where the replacement will be installed. If users cannot bring the defective unit personally, they can ship the device to Apple.
The company advised users to have their iPhone backed up to iTunes or iCloud before having it repaired. Defective iPhone 8 owners have three years after the first retail sale of the unit to avail of the service. The repair is limited to iPhone 8 and not to iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X.
Warranty Coverage Not Extended
Apple maintained that the standard warranty coverage of the iPhone 8 will not be extended despite this incident. Also, Apple has the right to restrict or limit repair to the original country or region of purchase.
If the iPhone 8 has other damage that can hamper the repair process, such as a cracked screen, the user needs to have it repaired first before the logic board replacement. The repair of other issues will be shouldered by the user.
The incident is a small setback for the iPhone 8, which was considered popular over the iPhone X based on a recent survey by research group Consumer Intelligence Research Partners.
CRIP conducted its survey from January to March 2018 where they asked U.S. customers which Apple product they bought during that span. Based on the survey, 23 percent said they bought an iPhone 8, 21 percent claimed they purchased an iPhone 8 Plus, while the 16 percent got an iPhone X.
The drop in iPhone X sales fueled rumors that Apple might shelve the production of its latest unit this year. However, analysts claimed that Apple will not make that move despite the dip in iPhone X sales.
