Apple has posted a support page on its website acknowledging that certain iPhone 6 Plus cameras have a component which could fail, along with a way to see if you’re eligible for a free replacement.
As uncovered by 9to5Mac, the support page says that “a small percentage of iPhone 6 Plus devices” contain a component which could fail, causing your photos to look blurry. The component was apparently defective in iPhone 6 Plus phones sold between Sept. 2014 and Jan. 2015.
How do you know? The page includes a field where you can enter your phone’s serial number to determine if your phone is eligible for a replacement. “If your iPhone 6 Plus is producing blurry photos and falls into the eligible serial number range, Apple will replace your device’s iSight camera, free of charge.” Note that Apple won’t replace your phone, just the iSight camera module.
Apple notes that you can only bring your phone back to an authorized service provider, an Apple Store, or by contacting the company’s technical support employees. And no, you can’t bring your phone back to your carrier, either.
While the replacement offer won’t affect (positively or negatively) your Apple warranty, it does carry a guarantee of sorts of its own: “The program covers affected iPhone 6 Plus iSight cameras for 3 years after the first retail sale of the unit,” Apple says.
Note that if you have an iPhone with a cracked screen, Apple won’t necessarily replace the iPhone’s iSight camera until that screen is repaired—and that may cost you. Apple also hasn’t said how long the repair will take, or what you’re supposed to do without your iPhone while that phone is being repaired. All questions to ask your Store or technical representative, we’d guess. If you find out anything, please let us know in the comments below.
Why this matters: One of the selling points of the iPhone line has been the 8-Megapixel iSight camera, and how you can take professional-quality photos with just a smartphone. Still, no user is going to be happy with blurry photos, period.
Author: Mark Hachman, Senior Editor
As PCWorld's senior editor, Mark focuses on Microsoft news and chip technology, among other beats. He has formerly written for PCMag, BYTE, Slashdot, eWEEK, and ReadWrite.