Where to go when your iPhone needs fixing

The iPhone isn't exactly an entry-level smartphone. So when your precious accidentally takes a knock on the pavement or a dive in the pool, what do you do? TechSmart talked to George Hajipetrou, director at Gmobile Repair Centre in Northriding, a company focused on fixing iPhones.

TechSmart: What’s the most common problem with a broken iPhone?

George Hajipetrou: The most common repairs done on the iPhone 2G, 3G, 3GS or iPhone 4 are mainly on the cracked glass digitizer or LCD. If you drop these phones hard enough they will surely break.

How many devices do you guys fix per month?

About 250 iPhones.

Is it possible to rescue an iPhone that has fallen into water?

We have a success rate of 95% when dealing with water damaged units. We use a certain chemical and a high frequency ultrasonic cleaner to clean the water deposits from the PCB’s. The result is a clean as new board that works like a dream.

We have repaired more or less 600 water-damaged iPhones. This type of repair comes with a 6-month warranty.

Obviously there can be some privacy concerns regarding personal information and pictures on phones coming in for repair. How do you safeguard customers' privacy?

When phones are booked in we need to carry out all necessary tests like checking if everything responds the way it should. We might at some stage by mistake access some private info while checking the unit, so we recommend customers to please make a back up and delete their personal info before booking it in.

Do users void their warranty if they have their devices repaired by Gmobile?

Well most of the iPhones that we receive for repairs either have been severely dropped or manhandle in some sort of way. The warranty automatically voids due to “malicious damage”.

If we receive a phone that is still under warranty we insist the customer visit Vodacom first to have it assessed before we attempt to open it. We offer a one-year warranty on all repairs except water damage.

How much is the average cost of repair?

This all depends on the extent of the damage. An average problem, like a 3G digitizer/ home key and chassis replacement, will set you back R1 400.

How long do customers have to wait before getting their phone back?

At Gmobile we offer a while-you-wait service. The waiting period is about 15 minutes on an average problem. If we feel that the phone needs to be booked in, the turn around time is usually 12 hours.

For any type of iPhone repair visit Gmobile’s website, or call them on 011-794-7576.

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