iPhone Screen Replacement

If you own an Apple iPhone then you need to be very careful to avoid dropping the iPhone from time to time. Despite Apple's claims that the screen is unbreakable, it will crack sooner or later because it is made of glass.

Depending on the extent of the damage and the iPhone model that you own, you can try one of several solutions. Our advice is that if the damage is very extensive, or if the model is the iPhone 3G or the very first iPhone, then you should just think about discarding the damaged smartphone and getting a new model. In some cases, the damage will be permanent and will ruin your experience, so you may as well write it off as an accident and shell out on a new iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4.

But if you are adamant that the screen can be fixed, or if the damage is relatively minor, then you should know about the various iPhone screen repair and replacement options that are available to you.

Replacing a Broken iPhone Screen

Some of the options that we came across from many different sources are as follows.

• Give it to an official Apple Store or dealer, and they will carry out repair or replacement for a fee of $199.
• Try some other retail stores or third party vendors. They will quote a replacement cost of anything between $100 - $150.
• Visit iFixit and get a DIY (Do It Yourself) kit worth $65. The instructions will be provided to you.
• Visit Amazon and get a DIY kit for less than $15.

Now if you are someone who does not know anything about technology and electronics, then it is best to just let someone else carry out this work for you. You will end up paying them a pretty high fee, but that is much better than losing a super expensive iPhone, right?

Alternatively, you can attempt to fix the screen yourself. This is meant for those people who have some knowledge about such things, and are willing to experiment. You will end up saving a lot of money in the process, but the risk is higher as well. Here are some pointers and tips to keep in mind for such people.

• Different models of iPhones have different types of screens and thus require specific DIY kits.
• Watch plenty of videos on YouTube and other places that will show you exactly how to carry out the screen replacement.
• The DIY kit on Amazon will be sufficient for most kinds of damage. Expensive kit makers are just over-charging you for the same thing.
• You should learn everything you can about the three layers of the iPhone screen - the glass panel, the digitizer and the LCD screen.
• iPhone 4 screen replacement is slightly more complicated, so you must double your efforts when you are reading reviews and watching videos.
• Wear appropriate protective gear when you are carrying out the replacement yourself. This is one of the first instructions in 'How to fix an iPhone 3G screen' guides.
• Create a backup of all the data on your iPhone by syncing it with Apple iTunes before you start the process.
• Remember that replacing the screen yourself, or even getting a third party vendor to replace for you, will nullify the warranty of the iPhone permanently.

In the future, you must also make it a point to protect your iPhone with the help of proper iPhone accessories and iPhone insurance. Knowing all this, you can make a decision about where you wish to carry replace the screen from. The choice will ultimately depend on the model you are using, how long you have owned it, what the extent of the screen damage is and how much money you are willing to spend.