Apple will fix these iPhone X, 13-inch MacBook Pro issues for free

By Aaron Mamiit Published November 10, 2018

Apple launched free repair programs for a pair of hardware issues involving the iPhone X and the 13-inch MacBook Pro with no Touch Bar.

The repair programs, which were first spotted by Bloomberg on Apple’s support pages, focus on the iPhone X’s display module and the MacBook Pro’s solid-state drive.

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Apple said that some iPhone X units have been experiencing problems with the touchscreen, specifically that the display does not respond, or intermittently responds, to the user’s touch. On the other hand, there are some cases when the iPhone X display responds even when it is not touched.

Unresponsive screens have been reported by users for several months, and if force restarts and factory resets did not fix it, the recommended solution was to have it checked at an Apple Store or an authorized service center. Under the new repair program, iPhone X owners suffering from the problem will be able to have the display module of their smartphone replaced for free. However, if the iPhone X comes with any damage that makes repairs harder, such as a cracked screen, that will need to be fixed first.

Apple did not specify any information on which batch of iPhone X units comes with the faulty display module. There will be no new batches though, as the iPhone X was discontinued after the unveiling of its successors iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with no Touch Bar, meanwhile, is prone to data loss or drive failure, according to Apple. The affected units were sold from June 2017 to June 2018, at capacities of 128 GB or 256 GB. To check if a specific 13-inch MacBook Pro contains the hardware issue and is eligible for the free repair, users may enter the laptop’s serial number on the Apple support page.

The repair program for the affected 13-inch MacBook Pro units will also be free. Owners of the laptops may take them to an Apple Store or authorized service center for to have their solid-state drives fixed. However, before doing so, users are recommended to first back up their data, as the drive of the laptop will be wiped clean as part of the program.

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