Apple Significantly Lowers Repair Fees for iPhone 15 Pro Models With Cracked Back Glass

As we reported last week, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max feature a more repairable internal design, with a redesigned frame that allows for the back glass panel to be easily removed from the devices. This change was first made to the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus last year, and now it extends to the Pro models this year.



At the time, we said that the removable back glass would likely result in significantly lower repair fees for iPhone 15 Pro models with cracked back glass for customers without AppleCare+ coverage, and this is now confirmed. As noted by Ian Zelbo, Apple has updated its U.S. website with iPhone 15 repair fees, revealing that it will charge $169 or $199 to repair the iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max with back glass damage. By comparison, these fees are set at $499 or $549 for the iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max.

The lower fees were also reported by 9to5Mac. For customers with AppleCare+ coverage for their iPhone, back glass damage can be repaired for $29.

In the U.S., Apple’s battery replacement fee is set at $99 for all four iPhone 15 models, which is unchanged from the iPhone 14 series. For additional iPhone 15 repair fees, such as for the rear camera or other damage, visit Apple’s website.

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iPhone 15 Pro Models Reportedly Max Out at 27W Charging Speeds Despite 35W Rumor

iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models are capable of up to 27W peak charging speeds with an appropriate USB-C power adapter, according to Japanese blog Mac Otakara. It is unclear where the website sourced this information from, but it seems to confirm that the iPhone 15 Pro models have the same maximum charging speeds as the iPhone 14 Pro models.



In August, 9to5Mac reported that at least some iPhone 15 models could support up to 35W charging speeds, but this rumor appears to be incorrect.

Just like the iPhone 14 models, Apple says all four iPhone 15 models can charge up to 50% in around 30 minutes with a 20W or higher power adapter.

Last year, the website ChargerLAB determined that Apple’s 30W USB-C power adapter was the company’s lowest-priced charger that could charge the iPhone 14 Pro models at their maximum charging speeds of up to 27W, and this will likely remain the case for the iPhone 15 Pro models. In the U.S., the adapter is priced at $39 on Apple’s online store.

Real-world tests still need to be completed, but for now it appears the 35W rumor was wrong.

All of the new iPhone 15 models launch on Friday, September 22.

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Moto G84 in for review

The Moto G84 just went live across Europe this week and now it’s at our doorstep. The phone is available for €299 in a comfortable 12/256GB configuration and in three colors – the subdued Marshmallow Blue and Midnight Blue, and this Viva Magenta we have the pleasure of showing you. This is easily one of the prettiest phones you can get at this price point. It comes well equipped too, with a case, USB cable, and a 33W charger. In keeping with Motorola’s recent design language, the Moto G84 has a vegan leather back that feels great to the touch. The PANTONE color of the year 2023 Viva…

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Kuo: iPhone 15 Pro Max Seeing ‘Robust’ Demand, Shipping Estimates Extending Into November

There has been “robust” demand for the iPhone 15 Pro Max since the device became available to pre-order on Friday, according to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.



In a post on Medium today, Kuo said iPhone 15 Pro Max demand has outpaced iPhone 14 Pro Max demand during the equivalent period last year. However, he said demand for the iPhone 15 Pro is weaker than it was for the iPhone 14 Pro so far, which he said could be the result of more customers choosing to buy the Pro Max model this year.

iPhone 15 Pro Max exclusively features an upgraded Telephoto lens with up to 5x optical zoom, compared to up to 3x on the iPhone 15 Pro. In the U.S., pricing for the iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at $1,199 for 256GB of storage, with Apple no longer offering the Pro Max with 128GB of storage for $1,099.

Kuo did note that the iPhone 15 Pro Max entered mass production later than the other devices in the iPhone 15 series, which has contributed to the device’s lengthy shipping delays. Some configurations of the iPhone 15 Pro Max are currently estimated for delivery in November on Apple’s online store.

More details to follow…

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Gurman: When to Expect USB-C AirPods Max, Magic Mouse, and More

While all four iPhone 15 models are equipped with a USB-C port, Apple continues to sell a handful of products with Lightning. In his “Power On” newsletter today, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman outlined when some of these products will move to USB-C.



First, Gurman said he expects USB-C versions of the Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Keyboard to be released alongside the next iMac.

Second, he said the standard AirPods should be updated with a USB-C charging case in 2024.

Third, he said the next AirPods Max will be equipped with a USB-C port, but he did not provide a release timeframe for the over-ear headphones. He previously reported that the AirPods Max could be updated as early as next year.

Last, he said that he expects the MagSafe Battery Pack and MagSafe Duo Charger accessories to return with USB-C ports eventually.

Related Roundup: AirPods Max
Buyer’s Guide: AirPods Max (Neutral)
Related Forum: AirPods

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Will the MagSafe Battery Pack and MagSafe Duo Charger Ever Return With USB-C Ports?

Apple quietly discontinued the MagSafe Battery Pack and MagSafe Duo Charger immediately after unveiling four new iPhone 15 models with a USB-C port last week. Both accessories were equipped with a Lightning connector.



Apple has not commented on why the MagSafe accessories were removed from sale, but the move was not surprising given the company is transitioning away from Lightning. The big question is, will they ever return with USB-C ports?

As noted by Daring Fireball‘s John Gruber, Apple has often released battery packs months after new iPhones. Apple released Smart Battery Cases for the iPhone 6s, iPhone XR, and iPhone 11 between two and four months after each of those devices launched, while the MagSafe Battery Pack launched nine months after the iPhone 12.

“So, maybe Apple is simply done selling the MagSafe Battery Pack,” said Gruber. “But, even if they have a new USB-C version in the works, I’m not at all surprised that it wasn’t released last week. Let’s wait for November.”

In his “Power On” newsletter today, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman said he still expects USB-C versions of the MagSafe Battery Pack and MagSafe Duo Charger to return “eventually.” However, he said “don’t hold your breath.”

In May 2022, prior to the MagSafe Battery Pack being discontinued, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said a USB-C version of the accessory would be released in the “foreseeable future,” but it’s unclear if he still expects this to happen.

Released in July 2021, the ‌MagSafe Battery Pack‌ was priced at $99 and attaches magnetically to the back of the iPhone 12 and newer, providing hours of additional battery life. The battery pack can be recharged with a Lightning cable.

Released in December 2020, the MagSafe Duo was a $129 foldable charging mat with a MagSafe charger for iPhones and an Apple Watch charging puck.

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Weekly deals: the best smartphone deals from the US, Germany, the UK and India

The long-awaited iPhone launch was this week and the newest models are already on pre-order – for the first time with USB-C. Other firsts include Apple’s first periscope (on the iPhone 15 Pro Max) and the first vanilla models with a Dynamic Island. But there are no deals to be had on the new models, Apple isn’t feeling the pressure to offer pre-order goodies. That said, it’s worth having a look at the older models as some got price cuts, others got discontinued entirely (but are still available through third-party sellers). There are a couple of new Android launches this week too. As…

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Apple Memoji-like Avatars coming to Android via WhatsApp video calls

In June of last year, we reported that Facebook owner Meta was working on allowing people to present themselves as their animated avatars in video calls on WhatsApp. Well, the development of that feature seems to be complete, as the company is now making it available for testing to a few beta testers. On Friday, […]

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The Frame TV gets artwork collection from The Met museum

Samsung has announced that it is collaborating with The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), which is located in New York, USA, to bring 38 pieces of artwork from the museum to Samsung Art Store. According to the company, these are “some of the Museum’s most treasured works of art” from curatorial departments, including the […]

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iPhone 15 Pro Likely Feels Even Lighter Than It Really Is Due to Inertia Change

The iPhone 15 Pro likely feels considerably lighter than the iPhone 14 Pro, not just due to the switch from stainless steel to titanium, but also a change to the device’s moment of inertia, according to calculations by Dr. Drang’s LeanCrew blog.



The ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ weighs 187g, a 9% reduction of the ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌’s 206g weight. During its announcement, Apple highlighted that the new lightweight feel is facilitated by switching from a stainless steel frame to titanium. Those who have already spent some time with the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌, including MacRumors‘ Dan Barbera, have noted just how much lighter the device feels in the hand. Yet new analysis suggests that the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ likely feels even lighter than its actual weight reduction due to a change of its moment of inertia.

The moment of inertia, a fundamental concept in physics, measures an object’s resistance to rotational motion. Its value is determined by both the amount of mass an object has and how that mass is distributed. Crucially, the further away mass is positioned from an object’s axis of rotation, the greater the moment of inertia. Thus, for commonly handled objects like smartphones, this resistance to rotation plays a significant role in how weighty or light they feel during daily use.

Apple’s shift from stainless steel to titanium for the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌’s outer band is pivotal in this change since a substantial portion of the phone’s weight reduction is localized at its outer edges. Dr. Drang’s analysis suggests that by minimizing mass predominantly at the perimeter, Apple achieved a reduction in the phone’s moment of inertia that is more significant than would be expected from the sheer weight decrease alone.

This reduction, which is more than the mass reduction, would make the iPhone 15 Pro easier to turn, and that may add to the impression that it’s significantly lighter than the 14 Pro.

[…]

Reducing the mass at the perimeter, which the change from stainless steel to titanium has done, has definitely reduced the moment of inertia more than a uniform reduction in mass would have. And that will make the 15 Pro easier to manipulate and will contribute—at least somewhat—to the impression of lightness.

Based on an analysis of the new phones’ dimensions and assuming the mass reduction is mostly around the phone’s perimeter, the moment of inertia for the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ is estimated to be reduced by 14–15%. Overall this means that the ‌iPhone 15 Pro‌ doesn’t just weigh less; its design ensures that its mass is distributed in a manner that makes it resist rotational motion less strongly. This results in a device that feels more agile and nimble, giving an amplified impression of lightness.

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