Apple has announced a global recall of the iPhone 8 after it discovered that a “very small percentage” is affected by a manufacturing defect leading to issues like unexpected reboots.
The company said that the problem has been tracked down to the logic board, and it exists on models sold since launch to March 2018 in specific countries.
An advisory allows any user to check whether their iPhone 8 unit is affected by the issue or not by simply checking for the serial number on the phone. If it is, all repairs are performed free of charge, unless other damage exists on the device, in which case Apple says that needs to be resolved first.
For instance, if you have a cracked screen, it may be necessary to first replace the display and only then benefit from the free repairs to the logic board as part of this recall. Needless to say, these extra repairs aren’t free and customers need to cover the costs of both the parts and the operation.
“Apple has determined that a very small percentage of iPhone 8 devices contain logic boards with a manufacturing defect. Affected devices may experience unexpected restarts, a frozen screen, or won’t turn on. Apple will repair eligible devices, free of charge,” the company says in the recall notification.
“Affected units were sold between September 2017 and March 2018 in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Macau, New Zealand, and the U.S.”
The program covers all affected iPhone 8 units three years after the date of purchase, but Apple emphasizes that any repairs as part of this recall wouldn’t extend the standard warranty coverage of the device.
Customers who need to have their phones serviced need to first get in touch with Apple and either make an appointment or arrange mail-in service via the Apple Repair Center.