ICracked

iCracked operated as an on-demand repair service for smartphones and tablets, dispatching technicians directly to a customer's location. Founded in 2010 by AJ Forsythe and Anthony Martin, the company emerged from Forsythe's personal frustration with the high cost and inconvenience of repairing his own frequently broken iPhone while a student at California Polytechnic State University. This firsthand experience of needing a better solution led him to learn the repair process himself, initially fixing phones for friends before recognizing the broader business opportunity.

The company's core service centered on a network of thousands of certified and background-checked technicians, known as "iTechs," spread across the United States and several other countries. Customers could request a repair online, and a technician would travel to their home, office, or another preferred location to fix devices, often in under an hour. This model addressed the primary market need for convenient and rapid device repair, a significant pain point for consumers reliant on their technology. Beyond on-demand repairs, iCracked's services also included mail-in repairs, DIY kits, and a device buyback program.

The business model was structured to support its network of technicians by providing them with parts, training, marketing, and backend logistics, effectively offering a "business in a box." iCracked generated revenue primarily through the sale of high-quality sourced parts to its iTechs, who then set their own service prices and retained the labor fees. The company's significant growth and operational scale eventually attracted major industry players. In February 2019, iCracked was acquired by SquareTrade, a subsidiary of the insurance giant Allstate, to be integrated into its device protection and tech support services.

Keywords: device repair, on-demand service, smartphone repair, technician network, electronics buyback, mobile workforce, SquareTrade, Allstate, AJ Forsythe, right to repair