Apple will fix 'touch disease' in iPhone 6 Plus devices - for a price

Apple says the problem is caused when devices are "dropped multiple times". Photo / Jason Oxenham

Apple is offering a fix for some iPhones stricken with "touch disease," a problem in which a flickering bar appears at the top of a device's display and its touch screen stops responding.

The tech company will repair iPhone 6 Plus devices with the issue for $149, it announced this week.

Apple says it will contact people who have already paid the company or an authorised service provider to fix the problem and reimburse them for the price difference.

The problem is caused when devices are "dropped multiple times on a hard surface" and then face "further stress," the company said.

Repair tech site iFixit says the issue seems to be a design flaw: The placement of key touch-screen-related chips causes them to become dislodged "as the phone flexes or twists slightly during normal use," the site said.

"Touch disease" is also reported to affect regular iPhone 6 devices, but Apple did not immediately respond to an inquiry about whether it would be offering similar discounts on repairs for that model.

In August, three California customers launched a federal class-action suit against Apple over the issue.

That lawsuit has since expanded, and another suit was filed in Utah. The lawsuits allege that the company knew about the problem but failed to offer repairs.

Now, at least some customers can have the problem fixed - for a price.