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Just for Fun: What to expect from this eBay Auction?

d123

d123

macrumors 68020
Oct 19, 2009
2,235
709
Earth
braddick said:
^
I'll try this!
The good news is I need to glass, front and back, for my iPhone4S- worse case scenario.
(I think this will fit/work?)
Click to expand...

The eBay phone is an iphone 4, pretty sure the hardware between a 4 and a 4S is different (including screen and back glass).

I wouldn't be trying to fit them to your 4S.
 
C

corys00

macrumors regular
Sep 6, 2011
158
62
d123 said:
The eBay phone is an iphone 4, pretty sure the hardware between a 4 and a 4S is different (including screen and back glass).

I wouldn't be trying to fit them to your 4S.
Click to expand...

You're right, however, if I recall, the LCD and digitizer is the same. I'd double check.
 
braddick

braddick

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jun 28, 2009
3,921
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Encinitas, CA
So, glass front and back, I don't even have that advantage?
::Shoot::

On a side note: I knew exactly what I was doing purchasing this iPhone and would never blame the seller- thus no matter what- it is my gamble and I wouldn't even think of returning it.
 
d123

d123

macrumors 68020
Oct 19, 2009
2,235
709
Earth
corys00 said:
http://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/69068/Do+the+iPhone+4S+and+4+have+the+same+front+glass
Click to expand...

Not easy and requires disassembly of the bezel/digitiser from the LCD. Not a like for like drop in.

Also from ifixit
http://www.ifixit.com/Answers/

The connectors are the same for the digitizer and LCD and the screen will function properly between the models but the parts are physically different and will not fit either way. The sensor layout is also different which would cause the phone to not work properly. The home button is also different.

In short, you can't do it.

You say the parts are physically different, would you please elaborate on that? I've read another post here on iFixit implying that at least the LCD can be interchanged. It would be nice to have a post here on iFixit to refer people to that explains the differences



The LCD and digitizer are fused together on the iPhone 4S still just like the iPhone 4. The LCD cannot be separated from the digitizer without breaking one of the components. That means that you cannot replace just the LCD or just the digitizer individually. You have to replace the entire assembly. Like I said above, the connectors for the LCD and the digitizer by themselves will work on either phone. But you would not be able to physically install the part because the bezel around the assembly has a different layout when it comes to where it screws into the mid-frame. The sensor window is slightly different as well so the ambient light sensor and proximity sensor may not work properly.



I have been replacing iphone screens for a couple years now. 3G 3GS 4 and 4S.

I have had to substitute a 4 for a 4S and vice versa a couple times. Of course, it is best to use the proper model whenever possible, but here's a trick if you absolutely have to use the wrong screen [and therefore the wrong bezel].

Chopping off the brackets can be very hard to do unless you have the right sort of metal cutter / industrial scissors.

Instead, you can carefully remove the bezel from both the cracked (original) screen and the new screen and reattach the original bezel to the new screen.

A couple things to be careful of:

If you pull too hard on the bezel, you will snap it / crack it. Not the end of the world (you can still use it), but be slow and deliberate when pulling away from the screen/LCD.

Also, if you pull too hard and with too much force, you might crack the LCD and have the dreaded bleeding ink drip look negating your whole endeavor.

Carefully start by pulling on a corner with your thumb pushing the screen away and your fingers pulling toward you on a corner bracket.

Make sure you pull the sticky tape along with the bezel and keep it in place as you go (it will try to pull away). This is extremely important as that sticky tape is the ONLY thing holding the screen to the rest of the body.

This is a drastic step, but it does work.

I know I have replaced 4 screens with 4S without a problem. I can't say with confidence that it works the other way around.
.
Click to expand...
 
braddick

braddick

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jun 28, 2009
3,921
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Encinitas, CA
Does it make a difference the iPhone4S is AT&T and this iPhone4 is Sprint when it comes to swapping the glass, front and back?
 
C

cRuNcHiE

macrumors 6502a
Jan 2, 2007
778
46
Try installing one of the newer beta ipsw's ?

In the past i've installed a beta then would get a similar error when trying to restore to the latest 'release' version ( due to the baseband i believe)

In fact once when this happened, even the apple store couldn't restore it to a 'release' version after putting on a beta and they gave me a new phone. but with the same phone i could still restore to a newer beta just fine.
 
aphexacid

aphexacid

macrumors 6502a
Jul 31, 2007
936
22
Chicago
capturenzi.jpg


96757427.jpg


It doesn't get any more clear than this.
 
Greencardman

Greencardman

macrumors 6502
Apr 24, 2003
490
2
Madison, WI
braddick said:
Does it make a difference the iPhone4S is AT&T and this iPhone4 is Sprint when it comes to swapping the glass, front and back?
Click to expand...

The iPhone 4S (Sprint or ATT) and the iPhone 4 Sprint are the closest internally, but I think you're still out of luck when it comes to using the parts. Like the iFixit article mentions, the brackets and sensors are in the wrong place to attach the new screen. On the back, you might get away with filing off the brackets and supergluing it in, but lets face it, that's a bad long term decision.
 
K

keitarou

macrumors 6502
Dec 7, 2012
254
0
I am really curious about this thread. The reason being, there are a lot of iPhones being sold on eBay with broken screen or bad ESN for pretty cheap price. What would stop someone from getting a broken screen phone and bring it to Apple store to get it fixed. For iPhone 5, they will give you a white box for 150 bucks to replace the unit. This is much cheaper then buying new full price.

Another is getting bad ESN on verizon phone which is unlocked to GSM carriers. You can take those and use it on straight talk or t-mobile without any issues? if so, again it would make sense to buy it for cheap online.

What do you guys think?
 
braddick

braddick

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jun 28, 2009
3,921
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Encinitas, CA
The story does have an ending!
Apple came up with the same code I did when he tried to restore. It was a no-go.
He offered another at $160. but honestly- an iPhone4 on Sprint is a touch sell at $160. (without the box or accessories).

Instead I listed it on eBay with bold font: DOES NOT WORK. "PARTS ONLY"
(multiple times!) and it sold within 30 minutes for $75. so I broke even and had some fun trying to figure it all out.
 
ericrwalker

ericrwalker

macrumors 68030
Oct 8, 2008
2,812
4
Albany, NY
braddick said:
The story does have an ending!
Apple came up with the same code I did when he tried to restore. It was a no-go.
He offered another at $160. but honestly- an iPhone4 on Sprint is a touch sell at $160. (without the box or accessories).

Instead I listed it on eBay with bold font: DOES NOT WORK. "PARTS ONLY"
(multiple times!) and it sold within 30 minutes for $75. so I broke even and had some fun trying to figure it all out.
Click to expand...


Glad it worked out, looks like you put a lot of time into it for nothing. Hopefully you at least learned some things about the iPhone/tiny umbrella/restore features along the way.
 
Rocko1

Rocko1

macrumors 68020
Nov 3, 2011
2,070
4
braddick said:
The story does have an ending!
Apple came up with the same code I did when he tried to restore. It was a no-go.
He offered another at $160. but honestly- an iPhone4 on Sprint is a touch sell at $160. (without the box or accessories).

Instead I listed it on eBay with bold font: DOES NOT WORK. "PARTS ONLY"
(multiple times!) and it sold within 30 minutes for $75. so I broke even and had some fun trying to figure it all out.
Click to expand...

Prob. left $20 on the table.
 
ericrwalker

ericrwalker

macrumors 68030
Oct 8, 2008
2,812
4
Albany, NY
Greencardman said:
Aww man, I wish we could have figured out what was causing that error. I'm totally interested now in how to repair one.
Click to expand...

I agree, I would have liked to give it a go too. Had the user been in NY I would have offered assistance, not that I could have promised anything.

I had one that I thought I had bricked once during a jailbreak and it took me two days to fix it. I had to use a Mac to fix it. I think during the process of two days I had downloaded every bit of software ever known to man for iDevices. I don't remember exactly what I did to fix it, but I had a hard time getting out of DFU mode, Tiny Umbrella worked for a second and suddenly right back to DFU.
 
braddick

braddick

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jun 28, 2009
3,921
1,018
Encinitas, CA
Applejuiced said:
Nice. At least you got your money back minus the paypal and ebay fees.
But wasted a lot of time and energy on it.
Click to expand...

iDevices with iPhones specifically are an interest/hobby of mine so I don't consider it wasted time.
In fact, a couple of times when I thought I was close to solving the 'mystery' was kind of fun (I am easily amused).

I did learn quite a bit and wish nothing but success to the next owner.
 
Greencardman

Greencardman

macrumors 6502
Apr 24, 2003
490
2
Madison, WI
So what do you think the new owner will do with it? Go through the same steps and then sell it again? Maybe this iPhone has been doing the e-Bay rounds for months... :)

I think we need to make a giant MacRumors combined effort to get the new owner to see this thread so we can continue to work on figuring out this pressing problem...
 
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