If you're getting an iPhone X - don't drop it

The iPhone X, an expensive phone with a staggering repair bill. Photo / Apple

If you're getting the Apple iPhone X, you probably don't want to drop it - or you'll want to get Apple Care+ coverage with your deal.

Apple has revealed how much it will cost to repair the phone if the screen is damaged.

In New Zealand, an iPhone X will cost $494 to just repair the screen without AppleCare+.

That is almost twice as expensive as the cost of repairing a screen on an iPhone 8 Plus ($305) or an iPhone 8 ($274).

If your phone has additional damage that is not limited to the screen, the bill could be up at around $944.

According to the Apple website, the following prices in the table below apply if:

*You need to replace your screen due to accidental damage or mishandling. Accidental damage isn't covered by the Apple warranty.

*Your iPhone screen gets broken while it's still under warranty and you don't have AppleCare+ coverage.

Your screen stops working and your iPhone isn't covered by the Apple warranty, consumer law, or AppleCare+.

However, if iPhone X buyers get AppleCare+, it includes two incidents of accidental damage coverage.

"You can use an incident for screen repair," the website states.

All iPhones with AppleCare+ pay $49 for screen repair only or $169 for other damages.

As for battery services, all iPhone models with AppleCare+ get free battery service, but if the phone is out of warranty it will cost $139.

The cost of repairing Apple's new iPhones comes as Apple has quashed any concern of muted demand for its iPhone X, saying pre-orders for the 10th anniversary phone were "off the charts".

The company's shares, which have fallen steadily since it announced in early September it would launch two iPhones within two months, rose nearly three per cent in response on Friday.

Pre-orders for the much-anticipated 10th anniversary phone started from midnight on Friday.

"We can see from the initial response, customer demand is off the charts," an Apple spokeswoman told Reuters.

"We're working hard to get this revolutionary new product into the hands of every customer who wants one, as quickly as possible."

The company's website showed delivery times pushed out to five to six weeks for the phone, compared to an initial plan of November 3.

iPhone X's launch follows weeks of concerns among analysts about the production of the new phone, which for the first time includes new facial identification software to replace the fingerprint used on previous phones.

Analysts have cautioned that production of the phone was below target, due to difficulties in producing the TrueDepth camera system, which houses sophisticated cameras and sensors making it possible to unlock the phone using Face ID.

Apple has been inundated with pre-orders for the iPhone X. But customers are less than impressed as they face a lengthy wait for their pricey smartphones.

The technology giant launched pre-orders in Australia yesterday.

Irate customers took to Twitter, complaining that they had been told shipping times for their new devices would be around four to five weeks.

Other fans eager to snap up the pricey phone - which retails at a staggering $2099 for the top model - complained about difficulties accessing the tech giant's online Apple store to make their purchase.