If you own an iPhone 8, now might be the perfect time to get a case.
The glass panel on the back of Apple’s iPhone 8 won’t qualify for a $29 replacement like the device’s glass screen. Instead, Apple will charge customers $99 for the first two back panel repairs. After that, customers could be forced to pay $349 or $399 for the iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus, respectively, according to Apple-tracking site AppleInsider, which confirmed the cost with a company spokesman.
Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone 8 has a new design, featuring a glass back panel. The glass allows for wireless charging coils inside the handset to interact with wireless charging pads, so users can boost battery life without wires. It also adds a design flair that users didn’t have in previous metal iPhones.
However, because the iPhone 8’s back panel is glass, if it takes enough of a beating, it could shatter, forcing users to either live with a jagged device or get it fixed.
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There was some hope among iPhone owners that Apple would offer the same replacement cost as a display since the back panel is made of glass. However, Apple told AppleInsider that it’s categorizing back panel repairs in the “other damage” category, bringing its price to $99, plus tax.
To safeguard against that cost, users can of course buy a case to protect the back panel. Opting for the company’s AppleCare+ would extend the $99 coverage price to two years. It costs $129 for the iPhone 8 and $149 for the iPhone 8 Plus.
