So you've dropped your iPhone and smashed the screen. Or made the speaker crackle. Or jammed the 'lock' button in place. If you live in Australia don't turn to Apple for help...
UPDATE | Apple Australia's Fiona Martin has emailed APC to let us know that while Aussies will be barred from having their iPhones repaired (even if they are prepared to pay), Apple Australia will gladly repair UK and US residents' iPhones in Australia.
Apple Australia has confirmed that Australians will not be able to get repairs for first-generation iPhones in Australia, despite the fact that the iPhone 3G will officially be sold here from 11th July.
If you bought an iPhone while on holiday in the US or UK, did a cheeky hack to unlock it and then brought it back to Australia, you probably didn't expect too much service from Apple Australia. But you might have held out a glimmer of hope that once the iPhone was officially sold here, you could get paid-for repairs done on your phone by Apple in the future.
No suck luck, according to Apple Australia spokesperson Fiona Martin. If "the iPhone you have is not available in Australia, repairs will not be available in the Apple Store Sydney," she told APC. (Or anywhere else, we assume... unless this suggests that Apple Store Sydney will be Mecca for ailing iPhones around Australia.)
Apple will, on the other hand, provide repair services in Australia for UK and US residents who are travelling in Australia with their iPhone.
Just as the prohibition of iPhones in this country fostered a burgeoning black market for hacked iPhone sales, Apple's refusal to offer repairs for imported iPhones has created an opportunity for third parties who can do the job for you.
A quick
Google search reveals numerous companies offering iPhone repairs -- and they'll even buy your broken unit if you don't want to pay to get it repaired, so they can salvage parts to be used to repair other people's iPhones.
One of the companies, Synergetic Australia,
warns: "Parts for the current iPhone model are extremely difficult to source
and there will be a lengthy delay on any iPhone repair. Please call to
discuss your iPhone's problem prior to shipping it to us. You
may be able to obtain warranty service by returning it to its country
of origin, otherwise a repair by Synergetic Australia will void any
manufacturer's warranty totally."
Where to get your iPhone repaired when Apple won't
Here's a quick list of companies that may be able to help you if your iPhone is broken.
If you know of more (especially if you've had first-hand iPhone repair experiences in Australia) let us know in the comments below.