Apple might fix failed iPhone 12's earpiece for free

Apple has announced a service program to repair faulty receivers on iPhone 12 and 12 Pros (via 9to5Mac). The company says that non-Mini or Max phones made between October 2020 and April 2021 may have an issue where there is no sound coming out of the earpiece when making or receiving calls and that it will fix the issue for free as part of the new program. According to Apple, the problem is caused by a component in the failing receiver module.

Apple's page says that only a "very small percentage" of devices can be affected. While it may be difficult to say what Apple means by "small percentage" (he used the phrase infamously when describing the number of butterfly keyboards that experienced problems), it doesn't seem like the handset issue is widespread - Searching for reports of failures the receivers on Reddit or Twitter only filed a few complaints.

Still, for those with these phones, it's good to know that if your headset starts working, you will have some recourse. While all iPhone 12s still carry Apple's one-year warranty, the service program covers devices for two years after purchase, giving your headset an additional year of coverage. However, there is one thing to keep in mind if you have this problem and want to ship your phone: Apple says that if your screen is cracked, it will need to be repaired before carrying out the receiver repair. While the headphone repair won't cost you anything, the screen damage repair could so be careful.

Apple also says the phones "will be screened before any service" to make sure they are eligible for the program. This likely means that you won't get a free solution if you're like me and you broke your phone earpiece by accidentally spilling boiling stripping liquid on it. This is life. Tags: Apple, iPhone 12