Click to Skip Ad
Closing in...

Apple acknowledges significant iPhone 6 Plus issue, but repairs won’t be free

Published Nov 18th, 2016 7:45AM EST
iPhone 6 Plus Touch Disease Repair

If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs.

Apple just acknowledged a major iPhone 6 issue, one that’s been affecting plenty of users. The two-year-old phone, and especially the Plus version, is prone to develop what’s called a Touch Disease affliction. What happens is that a phone could experience display flickering, multitouch issues, and even Touch ID problems.

The problem has been linked to Bendgate, the infamous iPhone 6 issue discovered soon after launch. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus can bend when a certain pressure is applied. But Apple never explained what causes Touch Disease until now. And while some people say Touch Disease is a direct result of a manufacturing issue, Apple isn’t ready to admit that. In fact, the company will charge you $149 to repair your device.

DON’T MISS: New MacBook Pro ad places Apple’s laptop among some of history’s greatest inventions

Apple doesn’t even link the issue to Bendgate. Instead, the company says that repeated dropping of an iPhone 6 Plus is the cause.

“Apple has determined that some iPhone 6 Plus devices may exhibit display flickering or Multi-Touch issues after being dropped multiple times on a hard surface and then incurring further stress on the device,” Apple said.

“The repair program covers affected iPhone 6 Plus devices for 5 years after the first retail sale of the unit,” Apple notes. The iPhone 6 isn’t included.

To qualify for the $149 service program, your iPhone 6 Plus needs to be in working order, and the screen has to be intact.

If you already had your Touch Diseased iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus repaired but paid more than $149, then you qualify for reimbursement. You still owe Apple $!49, so you’ll only get the difference back.

In case you need to bring in your iPhoen 6 Plus under Apple’s newly unveiled repair program, follow this link.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.