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Apple Providing Select Repair Shops With iPhone Calibration Machine For Quicker Turnaround

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Apr 12, 2001
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Getting an iPhone repaired at select Apple-authorized repair shops is about to get a lot faster for customers.

iphone-calibration-machine.jpg
Apple's proprietary iPhone calibration machine via Motherboard​

ComputerCare, a computer repair shop in Santa Clara, California, today announced that it has been selected as one of only three Apple Authorized Service Providers in the United States to participate in a new pilot program that will allow it to manage iPhone repair and calibration completely onsite.

As part of this pilot program, ComputerCare and two other yet to be named repair shops have received a specialized and proprietary calibration machine from Apple to ensure that iPhone repairs are fully compliant with Apple's specifications and security requirements for features such as Touch ID and Multi-Touch.

ComputerCare said the calibration machine is compatible with the iPhone 6s and newer, although Apple has been using the machines since as early as 2013. The calibration process is said to take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

With an in-house calibration machine, ComputerCare said it will be able to drastically speed up repair times for its customers, as it will no longer need to ship repaired iPhones to Apple for final testing and calibration.
"We already manage iPhone repairs at our facilities, but because of the devices' specialized security features, the current process requires them to be shipped to Apple for final testing and calibration before being returned to customers," said Georgia Rittenberg, President of ComputerCare. "Having a calibration machine onsite helps us to remove that extra step in the process and dramatically reduces turnaround times."
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Apple already has iPhone calibration machines in the back of every Apple Store, enabling Genius Bar employees to perform same-day repairs for most issues. But, not every customer lives near an Apple Store, so expanding the machines to select third-party repair shops is convenient.

If the pilot program is successful, Apple will presumably consider providing a larger number of Apple Authorized Service Providers with calibration machines in the future. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Article Link: Apple Providing Select Repair Shops With iPhone Calibration Machine For Quicker Turnaround
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/06/05/aasp-iphone-calibration-machine/
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I'd be afraid to get my phone serviced at any place other than an Apple Store simply because the third party repair companies have been known to use non-genuine parts.
 
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Faster repairs, this is good news for some of us. Would be happier news if Apple lower the prices of its iPhones including the upcoming iPhone 8.
 
Good news, authorized providers are more easy to find than Apple stores, at least in my country
 
When I first saw this story's lead photo, I thought it was some backstage or factory leak of the next iPhone and that it was somehow going to be announced today. I remember the iPad leaking years ago, maybe right before it was unveiled onstage, in some kind of holding device? Maybe that's why my brain jumped there immediately since the keynote is about to kick off and I'm hyped as hell. Good thing though as it looks mostly the same. I guess if the 7s is a thing alongside the new design, it will look mostly the same anyway.
 
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zorinlynx said:
I'd be afraid to get my phone serviced at any place other than an Apple Store simply because the third party repair companies have been known to use non-genuine parts.
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My only experience with a third party repair company was abysmal. Thank God for American Express.

But I would bet Apple is going to be very strict with anyone they allow to participate in this program. Any hint of non-genuine parts usage, I would hope, would lead to an automatic revocation.
 
macduke said:
When I first saw this story's lead photo, I thought it was some backstage or factory leak of the next iPhone and that it was somehow going to be announced today. I remember the iPad leaking years ago, maybe right before it was unveiled onstage, in some kind of holding device? Maybe that's why my brain jumped there immediately since the keynote is about to kick off and I'm hyped as hell. Good thing though as it looks mostly the same. I guess if the 7s is a thing alongside the new design, it will look mostly the same anyway.
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I thought the same thing, I think the hexhead screws steered me in that direction. :)
 
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Oh man, I really hope my local Apple reseller gets one of these, considering it's gonna be a good while before we ever see an Apple store around here, assuming it ever happens.
 
macduke said:
When I first saw this story's lead photo, I thought it was some backstage or factory leak of the next iPhone and that it was somehow going to be announced today. I remember the iPad leaking years ago, maybe right before it was unveiled onstage.
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I first saw the headline photo, I thought, "Oh look, the home button is retained on the front of the new iPhone instead of the back." Then I read the thread title.

And I do remember when the 12.9 iPad was leaked two months before the launched in September. It was shown a casing in a factory.
 
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I hope Apple shows some love for other countries. In Portugal, for example, they take at least 15 days to repair a device. I have had a bloated battery and payed to have my iPhone replaced with another one... 15 days waiting. Then I had another device with a malfunctioning screen... another 15 days.
 
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I think it would mean more for people in location where they cannot get their phone repaired at the local Apple store. There are probably 10 Apple stores within a 30 minute drive of Santa Clara.

Hopefully they will get these machine into repairs centers in other countries soon.
 
Relentless Power said:
I first saw the headline photo, I thought, "Oh look, the home button is retained on the front of the new iPhone instead of the back." Then I read the thread title.

And I do remember when the 12.9 iPad was leaked two months before the launched in September. It was shown a casing in a factory.
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I think I was thinking of this one from 2010: https://www.macrumors.com/2010/02/0...ed-image-of-prototype-next-generation-iphone/

But yeah, I seem to remember something about the Pro as well.
 
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I think the machine used in the photo is just over the top, why not put the plug in by hand instead of this machine with actuators on it, I just don't get it, the calibration is all software, and maybe a sensor for display calibration, this way the above machine cost $ 1000's instead of maybe $100.
 
Had to take in my wife's iPhone 6s Plus to the Apple Store for a cracked screen.

After an hour, they came back and said the repaired machine couldn't pass the "calibration test", likely performed by pictured device above. So, they gave me a new phone! Well, refurb I'm sure. But definitely better than what I walked in there with.

Only real Apple Stores for this guy... their service is outstanding.
 
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Tech198 said:
given that Apple are (or were) shutting down these stores, it surprises me that this is happening.
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IIRC Apple isn't/wasn't shutting down any stores. Simply Mac was closing some stores. They are an authorized apple reseller, not Apple. As with any business, some are doing better than others. It's a pretty safe bet that ComputerCare and the other two resellers fall into the category of 'doing better than others'.
 
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Next time we get an article showing the wholesale price list of the latest iPhone components, lets not forget the overhead plus the crazy R&D that goes into not just the phone but support machines like these.
 
Tech198 said:
given that Apple are (or were) shutting down these stores, it surprises me that this is happening.
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There are lot of fake news stories, especially about Apple and they have never announced any closing of third party repairs.
 
Relentless Power said:
Oh, your link was dating back further than I thought. But there was an iPad Pro very similar to what you posted. But good memory though.
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Coming up on my 10th anniversary here! Seen a lot. I remember a lot of stupid crap like this, and forget a lot of important things. Have you really only been here a year? For some reason I thought you had been around for a long time, and now I feel confused.
 
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macduke said:
Coming up on my 10th anniversary here! Seen a lot. I remember a lot of stupid crap like this, and forget a lot of important things. Have you really only been here a year? For some reason I thought you had been around for a long time, and now I feel confused.
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I have been a reader/lurker for while on Macrumors. I joined last July to be involved more in discussion. I really like this site and it offers plenty of content Apple/Non-Apple related news.
 
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