What is the value of your cell phone? Do you know the replacement cost of a screen? Do you systematically change your device when it breaks? We all have experienced the breakage of a cell phone or a tablet. Often accidental, these breakages do not always happen when the phone is ready to be replaced. Most phone replacements are due to screen breakage or reduced battery capacity.
In this short article, we will demonstrate how to protect our phones from accidents and the options available to us for prevention and repair.
Warranties:
Often offered by your mobile service provider, warranties extend the length of protection offered by the manufacturer in exchange for a monthly fee or a one-time payment when you purchase the device. Take note that these warranties are often administered by third-party companies so the provider itself has little or no impact on the resolution of the problem. This is an insurance policy, so like any good insurance policy, you will have restrictions, clauses that the company will use to determine the eligibility of the repair or replacement of your device. Keep in mind that these companies do not have stores or service centres, so everything is done online and/or over the phone.
Apple Care + Differences: At Apple, the warranty is very different, as it contains a notion of customer/technical service for the duration of the warranty. Also, the service can be done in stores by appointment. Whether you like Apple or not, this warranty is unequivocally the best on the market in terms of the ease with which the customer can use and claim their warranty.
Whether at Apple or elsewhere, the most important point is this: Your coverage is an insurance contract, so the monthly fee or purchase fee is your premium, just like with your car insurance. However, you will also have to pay a deductible depending on the nature of the repair. Make sure you know these details before agreeing to add this type of coverage.
In-Shop Repairs
Well-known repair shops often have excellent prices for repairing the breakdown of your device. After all, their business model is based on the premise of making your phone last instead of buying another one. Why replace a phone instead of a screen or a battery? Some shops may offer to buy the phone from you at a lower price if the repair seems too expensive. That way, you can get another phone and know that yours will be repaired, resold and reused. This is a great way to help the environment instead of throwing it away or keeping it in a drawer for 15 years. Often, the repair can be done the same day so you are not stuck without a phone or tablet for weeks! Shops often offer a 2–3-month warranty on the repair so you can have peace of mind. Deal with companies that have been around for a number of years, as many have tried at this business, but very few have survived. This could be called natural selection where the bests are still in business.
Avoid at all costs doing business with the brother-in-law, or the friend of a friend who does it in his basement in his spare time. The work will be of inferior quality, with no warranty and often with inferior parts. Our phones and tablets are very advanced pieces of technology and putting them in the hands of inexperienced people can only make the situation worse!
Protection – prevention is key
Knowing that breakage is mainly due to accidents, most of it can be avoided by prevention.
A protective case and a tempered glass screen protector are the two best options to protect your device. Visit your favourite store or go on Amazon to see all the available choices and reviews. Of course, you can choose an Otterbox type case which is very resistant against shocks, but the important thing is to have one, period. Fortunately, prices are very affordable, and some case manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty so if the case breaks, they send you a new one free of charge.
Tempered glass screen protectors are the best investment you can make to protect the largest surface of your phone/tablet. Don’t buy these poor-quality stickers as they offer very little protection. Tempered glass will take the initial shock and break if the impact is too great. The protector will have done its job which is to break instead of your screen. It is therefore essential to change the protector if it is cracked, because it will not protect your screen the second time around. These protectors are sold in packs of 2-3 units for less than $20, so replacement is affordable and easy.
We encourage you to take matters into your own hands and protect your devices before the damage is done. If you ever have a broken unit, we can help! We are happy to offer tablet and cell phone repair services. Contact us for a quote!
