Apple Charging Much More For iPhone Repairs Than Last Year

iPhones are popular and selling like hotcakes but many customers may not be aware of the huge expense associated with fixing one of those phones if they accidentally drop them and  crack the screen, something that happens to many iPhone users.

But, many of these damaged iPhones cease to work after going through various mishaps. That's when repairs come into play -- and, they're not cheap, according to CNET.

Currently, Apple charges up to $229 to replace a broken screen on an iPhone 5, according to MarketWatch. That's a lot considering a new phone on contract goes for $200 and without contract $650. If iPhone 5 owners have the $99 AppleCare warranty, a screen replacement is still $49, says CNET.

It seems that repair prices are on the rise. Two years ago Apple charged $199 to fix a busted screen. Since the device was first introduced in 2007, damaged iPhones have cost Americans $5.9 billion -- with one third of owners breaking their devices every year, according to a survey last September by gadget warranty firm SquareTrade.

The iPhone 5 is opened front-to-back so "replacing a cracked screen is going to be easier than ever," said UMB Tech Insights when the device debuted last September. "Compare this to the iPhone 4S, where it took 38 steps to isolate the display assembly."

So, why the high cost of repairs?

Apparently, the replacement parts for the iPhone 5 are far more expensive than earlier models. In fact, they're so costly that some independent fix-it shops refuse to do iPhone 5 repairs, according to MarketWatch.

"Apple controls everything from the manufacturing to the gear for the iPhone 5," editor at deal site TechBargains.com Jeff Haynes told MarketWatch. "Apple is trying to get people to sign up for Apple Care for $99 and to rely on their services at the Apple store. If you don't, that cracked screen could cost you at least $230."