TLDR; iPhone gets line, being charged a hefty amount despite manufacturing defect and clean hardware, need another solution.

So my iPhone got a colored line on the screen (as seen in the photo) a month ago.

No physical damage at all. Just picked it up from a table and the line appeared out of nowhere.

I was on 18.6.1 and updated to 18.6.2, to no avail.

I contacted Apple Support and they directed me to one of their authorized service centers, which ran a diagnostic test and confirmed that there is no physical damage on the phone whatsoever.

However, they did mention the display needs to be replaced and it will cost around 30,000 INR (approx. 340 dollars).

The problem wasn’t the cost, but the fact that an issue caused by the manufacturer has to be rectified by burning a hole in the user’s pocket.

I attempted to escalate this matter further, but the support staff mentioned that the paid option is the only feasible one since it’s been way too long since the phone’s warranty expired.

I’m honestly shocked at how nonchalant Apple’s response is to this issue. And this isn’t just about my device.

There are multiple posts detailing similar lines in the 13 series models.

What can I do? I can’t upgrade the phone because I want to use it as much as I could, but at the same time, not changing the display may lead to further issues.

Please help. TIA.