Full Replacement Cost for a Damaged Ringer Switch?

[UppityTeapot]

So, I'm curious about something I was told in an Apple Store, and I wanted to get a second opinion. My fiancée has my old launch day iPhone 6 Plus, and the ringer switch has started acting up – it was a bit funky when I owned it, but has started being nigh unusable recently. In short, although the physical action of the switch works, switching it doesn't produce a response in iOS, and you need to pull the switch up a little to make it register that it is on silent. At other times, it is prone to flickering between silent and ring on its own, without the button being touched. The battery is also close to dead (of old age), and so we wanted that to be replaced at the same time.

When we took the phone into the Apple Store, they tested it and diagnosed the "sensor behind the switch" as being faulty, which makes some degree of sense. What's weird is that I was told that it was impossible for the Apple Store to replace the ringer switch on its own, because it's "part of the unit," and that I would need to purchase a brand new iPhone 6 Plus for £300.

So, I didn't quite believe this, and so I went and looked on iFixit. They have a guide to replacing the ringer switch and volume buttons cable, as well as one for the buttons themselves, which between them look like they'd solve the issue.

I'm wondering, then: Why have Apple told me I need to replace the whole phone? Is their diagnosis accurate, and is there any way to get the ringer switch and battery repaired beyond just buying an entirely new device?

Many thanks for reading.

 

[jetsam]

The only specific out-of-warranty repairs that Apple will do are screen and battery replacements. All other repairs are done by replacing the phone with a refurb (not a new phone) for £300. All Apple refurbs come with new battery, new display, and new case.

If you have a third party repair shop you trust, I expect replacing the ringer switch is significantly cheaper. Or, if you're very handy, you might give it a go yourself. Once you go that route, though, you can't change your mind and take the phone back to Apple. They won't work on a phone once it's been touched by a third party.

 

[UppityTeapot]

@jetsam Thank you very much for your prompt and helpful reply. Yes, that does make a lot of sense – I thought it seemed a bit odd that I was told it was physically impossible!

I'll definitely take your suggestions into account – thank you!

 

[tubeexperience]

I would be able to do it for you, but I don't live anywhere nearby or even in the same continent.

Anyway, this is an easy fix and most third party repair ships should be able to replace the component for you.
[doublepost=1481189978][/doublepost]

Once you go that route, though, you can't change your mind and take the phone back to Apple. They won't work on a phone once it's been touched by a third party.

This is nonsense. Tie-in sales provisions are illegal.

Apple has to demonstrate improper installation that compromise the function of the device.

 

[Bawstun]

I would be able to do it for you, but I don't live anywhere nearby or even in the same continent.

Anyway, this is an easy fix and most third party repair ships should be able to replace the component for you.
[doublepost=1481189978][/doublepost]

This is nonsense. Tie-in sales provisions are illegal.

Apple has to demonstrate improper installation that compromise the function of the device.

Nonsense as it might be, that is their policy. If they have any way to tell the device was opened and worked on by someone other than a Genius, that phone is essentially dead to them, they will never service it again.

 

[Minho]

Doing simple repairs, like a replacement volume button flex, will not leave any trace behind...if the shop works properly. It is simple to do if you are handy but there are some traps to avoid. Most internal parts are insanely delicate when compared to "normal" stuff we repair on our own. It's easy to cause more damage than when you started but that said, if you have a gentle hand and patience, you can save a lot of money.