The iPhone repair industry has rocked the world of the typical tech repair person. It's become something that the older generation computer repair people can learn and start offering in their businesses to keep them current, and keep them on the leading edge of tech repair.
Some people say there's a window. Some people say it'll be around for the next 10 years and some people say it's just begun. I want to talk about all of those things to try to present my idea of the longevity of this kind of business. First, I'd say that in my opinion, it's only just begun. Here's why.
The iPhone repair model targets very specific customers. It targets customers who normally don't purchase warranty plans, won't stand in the Apple line to get the newest version phone the day it comes out and aren't into spending a fortune to get their phones worked on or fixed when something goes wrong.
Right now, we have the iPhone 3G and 3GS as the oldest model phones, that are still widely in use. Here, years later after their launch, people are still paying repair shops to replace screens so they don't have to go buy brand new phones, and perhaps spend a couple hundred (and even more) dollars. Even though 2 more versions of the phone have been launched, a great deal of people still have those older model phones. When they break, what will that type of customer do? What decision are they most likely to make? Will they pay a small fee to get the phone repaired and keep it operating, or will they opt to spend several hundred dollars to get a new one?
The answer, in many cases is, they're going to want to keep their settings, keep their setup, and pay a small fee to get the phone fixed. That is the iPhone repair person's customer. That's where the most business can be captured.
And what about the iPhone 4 models? We have the 4, and the 4s, both extremely susceptible to broken screens. The truth is, it's the same situation as the 3G and 3GS models. People will want to keep their phones, keep their settings and pay a small fee for a fix that targets the specific problem, rather than paying a large fee that basically gets them an entirely new device.
People are about saving money. That isn't to say that all iPhone users will think and act this way. In fact, what you may call "real Apple users," a term coined by a friend of mine, are always going to get the appropriate warranties with Apple, and stay on top of having the newest devices.
Ultimately, I see the industry being around for at least 3 more years, and probably 4. People will still need repairs on the 3GS, the 4 and the 4s for a long time. And, when the iPhone 5 comes out, despite the rumors that it will have stronger glass (gorilla glass 2) and an anti crack warning system, I believe the phones will still break and repair shops targeting the specific problem will still be needed.
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