Cracked iPhone Screen? Now It's Cheaper to Fix

Alongside its glitzy reveal of the iPhone 7 and new smartwatches, Apple yesterday quietly made some changes to its smartphone repair program pricing.

As 9to5Mac notes, Cupertino is now charging a flat rate of $99 for repairs of current-generation iPhones and older handsets under Apple Care+. Previously, Apple charged those with an Apple Care+ extended warranty $99 for current-gen repairs and $79 to fix previous-gen iPhones.

That's not great news for those with older handsets, but the company made another change that will likely be more well-received. It's lowering the price for one of the most common problems: cracked screens. Now, customers will have to pay just $29, instead of the full $99, to get their busted screen fixed.

Every iPhone comes with a one-year limited warranty, which does not cover accidental damage. AppleCare+ — priced at $99 for the iPhone SE ( at Amazon) and $129 for the iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 6s, and 6s Plus — extends your coverage to two years from the original purchase date of your iPhone and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to the extra service fee outlined above, plus tax.

Meanwhile, pre-orders for Apple's new handsets begin on Friday, and the phones arrives a week later starting at $649 for iPhone 7 and $749 for iPhone 7 Plus. The new Apple Watch Series 2 and a special Nike version start at $369, while the existing Apple Watch (now known as Series 1) will get a processor boost and a price drop to $269.