Apple admits issue with iPhone 5 power button. Offers free replacement starting this Friday

Apple acknowledges an issue with the iPhone 5, where its power/wake button would show signs of failure and possibly stop working altogether. According to them, this affects a small number of units that are manufactured from March 2013. If you do face such issues, the good news is that Apple is offering free replacements for the power button mechanism.

The replacement program has started in the US and Canada, while replacement elsewhere including Malaysia will start on 2nd May which is this coming Friday. You can check if your iPhone 5 is eligible for power button replacement over here. Just key in your serial number which can be found on Settings > General > About.

Apple highlights that this is only applicable if your device is listed and the power button is showing signs of failure. For Malaysia, you can send your iPhone 5 to most Apple on-ground retailers and you can find one closest to you over here. According to Apple, the replacement process will take 4-6 days from the time your phone is sent in to their service centres

At the footer of its recall announcement, Apple mentions that if you have paid for such repairs, you may contact them for a possible refund. If your iPhone 5 power button is working fine, take note that the replacement program will continue to cover the device for 2 years since its first retail purchase. Before sending the device over, make sure you’ve backed up your files to iCloud and it is recommended to erase all contents on the device. .

Recall and replacements are two words that we hardly hear from Apple when it comes to iPhone units in Malaysia. In the midst of iPhone 4 antenna-gate issue, the free bumpers were not extended to Malaysian buyers which later claims to be fixed with a software update. When the iPhone 5 was released, several units were found to have scuff marks out of the box which Apple refuses to acknowledge as a problem. With consumers getting spoilt for choice, it is no surprise that Apple is now concerned with customer retention, which is a good thing for consumers.

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