If you woke up this morning to a bright green or pink vertical line on your smartphone, you aren’t alone. Thousands of Indians are reporting that their screens are “dying” after the latest security updates.
The worst part? Many official “Free Replacement” programs just expired on December 31, 2025.
Here is the updated status of every major brand in India for January 2026.
The 2026 Brand-by-Brand Status
| Brand | Free Replacement Status (2026) | Eligibility Conditions |
| OnePlus | ✅ LIFETIME (Verified) | All AMOLED models (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and Nord series). |
| Samsung | ⚠️ EXPIRED / ENDED | Most official free programs ended on Dec 31, 2025. Centers are now asking for ₹14k+. |
| Xiaomi | 🟡 LIMITED | Only specific models (like Xiaomi 14) within 6 months of purchase. |
| Vivo/Oppo | ❌ CASE-BY-CASE | No official policy; usually denied if out of warranty. |
| Realme | ❌ DENIED | Almost zero official support for out-of-warranty green lines. |
The “Samsung Crisis”: What to do now?
Reddit (r/IndiaTech) is currently flooded with users whose S21, S22 Ultra, and S23 Ultra units got green lines on January 1st or 2nd, 2026.
The Problem: Samsung India’s official extension for free one-time replacement ended on December 31, 2025. Service centers in Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai are now turning people away.
The Solution:
- Don’t Pay Immediately: Do not agree to the ₹15,000 estimate yet.
- The “Batch Failure” Argument: Ask the technician to check the “Internal Memo” for a 2026 extension. Often, Samsung extends these policies by 3 months at a time without telling the public.
- Escalate on Twitter: Tag @SamsungIndia and @SamsungSupport with a photo of your phone. Mention: “No physical damage. Issue happened after software update. My device is within 3 years of purchase.”
The “OnePlus Hero” Policy
OnePlus remains the only brand in India offering a Lifetime Screen Warranty. If you have a OnePlus 8 series or later, and you have no cracks on your screen, they must replace it for free.
Warning: Some local service centers may claim “parts are unavailable” and try to sell you a discount on a new phone (the “Upgrade Voucher”).
- Our Advice: If you love your current phone, insist on the repair. They are legally obligated to provide parts for at least 3-5 years after a phone’s launch in India.
Why Tech Blogs Won’t Tell You This
Most tech blogs just copy-paste official press releases. They won’t tell you that service centers are incentivized to deny your claim to save the company money. They look for tiny scratches on the body to claim “physical damage” and void your free repair.
Step-by-Step: What to say at the Service Center
If you are being denied a free repair for a green line, use this “Consumer Rights Script”:
- The Opening: “I am here for the Green Line issue. My phone has zero physical or liquid damage. This is a known manufacturing defect in the AMOLED panel.”
- The Rebuttal (if they ask for money): “OnePlus/Samsung has acknowledged this worldwide as a hardware failure caused by software heat. I am requesting a ‘Goodwill Warranty’ replacement.”
- The Final Move: “If you cannot provide a free repair, please give me a ‘Job Sheet’ stating the reason for denial so I can file it with the National Consumer Helpline (NCH).”
Pro Tip: Simply mentioning “National Consumer Helpline” often magically makes “unavailable” parts appear in the backroom.
Also Read : Why SSD and RAM prices are skyrocketing in India
