Apple to replace faulty power buttons on iPhone 5 for free
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Apple has said it will replace the sleep/wake button on iPhone 5 handsets - two years after customer complaints started appearing
Apple has finally admitted to the existence of a problem with the sleep/wake button on the iPhone 5.
Two years after customer complaints began appearing online, the Cupertino-based company has launched a free replacement scheme for any users affected by the power button issues.
The group claims a 'small percentage' of iPhone 5 handsets - typically manufactured after March 2013 - have faulty mechanisms that can lead to problems with the switch.
The fault prevents the device from being turned on and off, or locked in the usual way.
This has caused some iPhone models to stop working intermittently.
While Apple hasn't placed a number on the amount of handsets affected, the term for 'iPhone 5' on Google has the query 'iPhone 5 sleep button not working' as one of the top searches.
Forums are also filled with complaints dating back two years - before the time Apple claims the manufacturing error occurred. 'The sleep/wake button is very unresponsive,' one user wrote on the Apple forum in April 2012.
'It's fine when pushing on the left most side of the button, but the right is completely unresponsive.'
Apple has now launched a dedicated website where users in the U.S. and Canada can submit their serial number to see if they qualify for the replacement scheme.
The firm claims a 'small percentage' of iPhone 5 handsets, manufactured after March 2013, have faulty mechanisms that can lead to problems with the switch. The fault prevents the device from being turned on and off, or locked in the usual way, causing some iPhone 5 models to stop working intermittently
Affected users can then send in their iPhone for inspection through the post, call in at an Apple Store or visit another authorised service provider listed on the site.
If affected users decide to take their handset to an Apple store, they will receive a 16GB iPhone 5 on loan while theirs is fixed.
Those who have paid for an out-of-warranty replacement to fix the problem may also be eligible for receiving a refund from Apple.
Broken iPhones, such as those with cracked screens, do not qualify until other issues are addressed.
The replacement process is currently limited to the U.S. and Canada, but there are plans to launch in other countries on 2 May.
IPHONE USERS COMPLAIN OF BUGS AFTER LATEST SOFTWARE RELEASE
Following reports of phones crashing and data being lost, more users have come forward to complain about other problems with their Apple devices since updating to the latest iOS 7.1.1 software.
Users have told MailOnline that phones are dying despite having battery life, while apps and Apple services have begun freezing or acting erratically.
Apple pushed out the minor update for its iOS software earlier this week and some users have been left having to restore their devices, consequently losing all their pictures, apps and other personal data.
According to the initial reports, the majority of the problems occurred when trying to update the devices using Wi-Fi, also known as Over-The-Air (OTA) updates.
When updating an iOS device there are two options – over the air, or via iTunes. When using OTA, the phone has to be plugged into a charger.
However, a number of customers have had the same issue when updating over a cable.
One person told MailOnline: 'Mine was on the cable all the time during the update and still it has crashed.
'I've tried restoring three times now and it fails with an 'internal error'. Not sure where to go now, Apple are much less than helpful.'
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