If it's out of warranty, then yes, repair probably would cost about as much as a new phone. If it's still in warranty then the profitability of the repair isn't at issue - they're obliged to either repair or replace it, whatever that costs them (well, I guess they could refund you the value of the phone as another alternative). As for replacements - I'd suggest browsing some of the "competitor" sections of the forum to get some answers on that.