Note that in Europe, whatever Apple says, you have a 2 years warranty for this kind of problem.
Also, do the chip really need a replacement, or a simple reflow would work?
I'm not even sure how they would try to argue against it.
"Yes, the phone developed a fault under typical use within the warranty period and yes, a lot of other customers are having the same problem, but" ...?
Apple devices are luxury goods sold at a high premium. You expect that stuff to withstand at least the same everyday handling as their competitors' products in the same market segment.
Do note that the exact implementation differs per country. In the Netherlands, legally, after 6 months the burden of proof moves to the buyer. Which means you need to prove that your product already had a defect at the moment of purchase. Good luck with that... Most people here seem to be completely unaware of this caveat though and I often get into heated discussions for pointing it out.
It depends. It may work with just a reflow, if the board is reinforced so that it is stiffer and doesn't put stress on the balls.
If you take off the chip, you could theoretically re-ball it and put the same one back on, but that requires even more specialized equipment.
I was amused to see in that interview with the Laura the repair person, the new chip was put on slightly crooked. It will still likely work, but isn't optimal.
I don't tend to face these sorts of problems myself, because my phone is always in a case in a holster, so that it doesn't get bent or whatever under normal conditions.
"Yes, the phone developed a fault under typical use within the warranty period and yes, a lot of other customers are having the same problem, but" ...?
Apple devices are luxury goods sold at a high premium. You expect that stuff to withstand at least the same everyday handling as their competitors' products in the same market segment.