Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on March 2010

Courtesy of Flickr user magerleagues

After a good, hard session strapped to the handlebars, chances are your iPhone might need a little work to keep it in top shape. Fortunately for Japan residents, there’s now a third-party repair specialist called iPhone Factory that can help avoid those steep Apple-shaped bills. The company claims a fast turnaround for anything from battery swap-outs (from ¥4,800) to screen replacements (¥9,800), all of which are considerably cheaper than either Apple’s own prices or paying for years of Steve Jobs’ Apple Care gadget insurance. Queries in English are welcome, and residents of Yokohama and Tokyo even have the luxury of scheduling a bike courier to pick up their wounded warriors. What’s not to like?

http://meturl.com/iphonefactory (Japanese)