Apple offers free repair to fix sound issue on certain 5G iPhone 12 models

Apple has posted a service bulletin for owners of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro. According to the tech giant,  a "very small percentage" of iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro models in   are suffering from an issue that is affecting the phones' speakers. As a result, Apple said in a statement that "If your iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro does not emit sound from the receiver when you make or receive calls, it may be eligible for service. Apple or an Apple authorized Service Provider will service eligible devices, free of charge."

To be clear, this problem is affecting only the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro and is not impacting the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max. Apple is giving the appropriate device owners three options to choose from and notes that affected devices will be examined before any repair work is actually started in order to make sure that each phone qualifies for the free repair program.

The options include finding an Authorized Apple Service Provider. Or, you can make a service appointment at a nearby Apple Store. The third option is to contact Apple Support to arrange to have your phone mailed back to the company using the Apple Repair Center. Keep in mind that all three options will ask you to type in your Apple ID.

Apple asks that before turning your phone in for service that you back up your iPhone on your computer or with iCloud. To have your handset prepped correctly for service, you might want to tap on this link which will take you to a bulletin titled "Get your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch ready for service."

Now here is the kicker that is sure to annoy some iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro owners who are eligible for the repair program. Apple states, "If your iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro has any damage which impairs the ability to complete the repair, such as a cracked screen, that issue will need to be resolved prior to the service. In some cases, there may be a cost associated with the additional repair."

You might recall that back in 2018 after #batterygate led Apple to offer a discounted battery replacement program for the iPhone, an Apple customer in the U.K. named Josh Landsburgh had sent his phone to the company to take advantage of the offer. But Apple told Landsburgh that it wouldn't install a fresh battery unless he first paid Apple the equivalent of $271 to repair a minor ding on the casing of his iPhone.

Another iPhone owner in the U.K., one David Bowler, also sent his iPhone back to Apple to have the battery on his handset changed for the discount price. Once again, Apple demanded that internal issues with the microphone and the speaker had to be repaired before Bowler could get his discounted battery change. And for those repairs, Apple demanded the equivalent of $339.

The repair program is being offered worldwide and will be in place for two years after the first retail sale of each unit. The program also does not extend the length of the current warranty on the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro. Additionally, Apple has the right to restrict the repair program to the original country or region where the phone was purchased.

If you own an iPhone 12 mini or an iPhone 12 Pro Max, the free repair program does not cover your handset. If you own one of those models and are suffering from a similar problem with the device, you might want to contact Apple as soon as possible.