Apple Now Able to Repair an iPhone 12 Pro's Cracked Rear Glass Without Replacing the Entire Device

Last month, MacRumors reported that Apple was introducing a new same-unit repair method for iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 models exhibiting certain issues that would typically require a whole-unit replacement. Now, we've learned that Apple has extended these same-unit repairs to the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.

iphone 12 pro cracked glass

Image Credit: EverythingApplePro

Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers have access to a new "iPhone Rear System" part that is essentially an iPhone enclosure that includes all components except the display and rear camera. As of this week, this part is available for all four iPhone 12 models, according to an Apple memo obtained by MacRumors.

If a customer has an iPhone 12 Pro with cracked rear glass, for example, an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider is able to replace the entire rear portion of the device with the iPhone Rear System part, while retaining the customer's original display and rear camera. For this reason, the iPhone's display and rear camera must be free of damage or issues in order for the device to qualify for a same-unit repair.

iPhone 12 models may be eligible for a same-unit repair if they are unable to be powered on, or are experiencing issues with the logic board, Face ID system, or the enclosure of the device, such as cracked rear glass, according to Apple. The new repair method is said to be available in all countries and regions where iPhone 12 models are sold.

In its memo, Apple reiterated that this move supports the company's ongoing commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of every product it sells.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 18 Pro Leak Adds New Evidence for Under-Display Face ID

Monday December 8, 2025 4:54 am PST by
Apple is actively testing under-screen Face ID for next year's iPhone 18 Pro models using a special "spliced micro-transparent glass" window built into the display, claims a Chinese leaker. According to "Smart Pikachu," a Weibo account that has previously shared accurate supply-chain details on Chinese Android hardware, Apple is testing the special glass as a way to let the TrueDepth...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds Second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Monday December 8, 2025 10:18 am PST by
Apple today seeded the second release candidate version of iOS 26.2 to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming one week after Apple seeded the first RC. The release candidate represents the final version iOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found. Registered developers and public beta testers can download the betas from the Settings app on...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Johny Srouji

Apple's Chipmaking Chief Johny Srouji Responds to Report About Him Potentially Leaving

Monday December 8, 2025 9:23 am PST by
Apple's chipmaking chief Johny Srouji has reportedly indicated that he plans to continue working for the company for the foreseeable future. "I love my team, and I love my job at Apple, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon," said Srouji, in a memo obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Here is Srouji's full memo, as shared by Bloomberg:I know you've been reading all kind of rumors and...
Johny Srouji

Apple Chip Chief Johny Srouji Could Be Next to Go as Exodus Continues

Sunday December 7, 2025 10:41 am PST by
Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design ...
google pixel 10

Switching Between iPhone and Android Will Get Easier With New Apple and Google Collaboration

Monday December 8, 2025 11:10 am PST by
Apple and Google are teaming up to make it easier for users to switch between iPhone and Android smartphones, according to 9to5Google. There is a new Android Canary build available today that simplifies data transfer between two smartphones, and Apple is going to implement the functionality in an upcoming iOS 26 beta. Apple already has a Move to iOS app for transferring data from an Android...
top stories 2025 12 04a

Top Stories: iOS 26.2 Coming Soon, Apple Execs Depart, and More

Saturday December 6, 2025 6:00 am PST by
You'd expect things to be starting to wind down for the holidays by now, but that doesn't seem to be the case yet in the world of Apple news, with Apple just about ready to release iOS 26.2 and other operating system updates to the public. There was also a flurry of news this week about Apple executive departures, some expected and some not so expected, while we also learned that Apple and...
Apple Fitness Plus expansion hero

Apple Fitness+ Coming to 28 New Regions With Digital Voice Dubbing

Monday December 8, 2025 6:19 am PST by
Apple today announced that Fitness+ is expanding to 28 new markets on December 15 in the service's largest international rollout since launch, accompanied by new language dubbing and a K-Pop music genre. Apple Fitness+ will become available in Chile, Hong Kong, India, the Netherlands, Singapore, Taiwan, and additional regions on December 15, with Japan scheduled to follow early next year....

Top Rated Comments

Jaro65 Avatar
62 months ago
Good. No need to replace the entire device if the only damaged part is the rear glass cover.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JMStearnsX2 Avatar
62 months ago
I would not call replacing the logic board "same unit repair", this sounds like it is just short of replacing everything anyway.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jk1221 Avatar
62 months ago

Makes sense. You don’t get a new car if your muffler is broken.
Stil costs more than a muffler.

The price is still a ripoff. Especially when they get all of the parts back. A few dollars of new glass and some employee time and repaying equipment cost; I get the economics of cost.

Surely not $550-600 worth though (and why the regular 12 is only $450 is odd- glass is glass and they get the internals back . It doesn't cost less in work).

$199, $250, and $299 across the line would STILL be more than fair for both sides. It should be half the cost that it is realistically.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
EricNau Avatar
62 months ago

No, you just need a new engine, transmission and suspension. Hood, wheels, and seats swap right over though.

This won’t do much to reduce any carbon footprint.
Exactly. I don’t think Apple deserves any praise for this. If anything, it shows an ongoing commitment against repairability.

The headlines feel misleading too. :confused:
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Brian Y Avatar
62 months ago
About time. Shipping (and charging for) a whole new device is utterly ridiculous for something that can be easily repaired.

This has been going on far too long - especially with iPads. Back when I worked at the apple store I remember having to swap out and charge full-unit refurb prices for stupid stuff, like a blown speaker.

The horrible thing was I knew, deep down, that Apple would just take that unit back, swap out the speaker/casing, and send it back out as a refurb at full price, so instead of charging someone £10 for a speaker, they were basically buying a refurbished iPad.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wildkraut Avatar
62 months ago
[HEADING=2]BMW Now Able to Repair an M8 Cracked Rear Glass Without Replacing the Entire Car[/HEADING]
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)