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Apple Retail's New Machines for Calibrating Replacement iPhone 5 Displays

charlituna

charlituna

macrumors G3
Jun 11, 2008
9,636
816
Los Angeles, CA
B-Roll said:
I didn't say the machine is a sham. The machine replaces the display, yes.
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Actually Mr Know it Nothing. The machine doesn't replace the display at all.

I had to take a phone in last night for a broken display and asked the Genius about this rumor and he said its basically false. They hand replace the screen and the machine just tests that all the sensors and the touch functions work properly. And as I've had dealing with this Genius for 4 years I trust him not to blow smoke up my butt.

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markie said:
The device replacement instead of repair is one of the things that makes Apple products worth the price premium to many. It's not "abuse" - it's being used to a very high level of service, and receiving it.
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I believe he's referring to resellers and the like who jack up phones to get them replaced. Like they would try to jailbreak and unlock phones and brick it so they would go in and rip the connectors so it won't power on and get a new one for their defective one.

Rumor has it earlier this year they started requiring that every phone that doesn't turn on or charge is opened and inspected for such things. Just like they do in Asia to make sure it's not a knockoff
 
bearbo

bearbo

macrumors 68000
Jul 20, 2006
1,858
0
Haven't posted for years, but this is getting ridiculous.

Of course you can calibrate the touch screen. :confused:

How does touch screen work? The digitizer detects where your chubby little finger(s) touch the screen, and sending the OS the coordinates. If the digitizer was manufactured and mounted to the glass perfectly, then those coordinates would correspond to the correct location that you touched the screen.

However, if something was not perfect, for example, the digitizer is consistently telling the OS a x-coordinate 5% to the right compared the actual location of the contact, then the OS can compensate for that on the software level.

Calibrations (of the touch screen) could be done by having the machine "touch" the screen at a number of pre-specified locations, and detect where the digitizer "thinks" that the machine has touched, thereby producing a calibration map.

This kind of calibration has been done for decades on various types of touch screen, such as the likes of Wacom tablets.

Now, I don't profess knowledge of the working of this particular machine, but to say "once the touchscreen digitizer is applied to the glass/LCD, that's that" is laughable. Just because the general public cannot access the part of the OS that can report the raw data from the digitizer, and compensate for the difference, does not mean it cannot be done.

B-Roll said:
I figured I'd wake up to this storm. Haha. I think I've been a good sport!

BUT, I'm glad someone can pick apart what exactly I was talking about SPECIFICALLY relating to the touch screen. Nothing else.

As someone else stated, being in a background with dealing with touchscreens all day you kinda see one way. In my "world", when I think calibration, I relate it to people talking about the touch screen because I've heard it numerous times from uninformed people. Which I still stand by the fact that once the touchscreen digitizer is applied to the glass/LCD, that's that.

I was not talking about the display itself which would make sense, again as I have stated before.

I was blind in my one track statement talking about the touchscreen and everyone else was blind in their one track to just be "right".

To that one guy - My "first month" is going just great. ;]
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RBMaraman

RBMaraman

macrumors 65816
Jul 25, 2002
1,228
39
New Albany, IN
Mr Rabbit said:
For what it's worth it is quite likely that the Apple store you visited was in the pilot program for these repairs. Apple will test big procedural changes in the real world via pilot programs at a few stores to gauge feedback and iron out problems before rolling the changes out to the rest of their 400~ stores.




You're quite close.

The original repair strategy was to replace devices assuming there was no liquid damage. Liquid damage necessitated that the customer buy a new iPhone at the unsubsidized price. The kicker to this was that if a customer dropped the second iPhone in the toilet they were then unable to buy a third iPhone. This didn't last long thanks to obvious outrage by those affected.

The second repair strategy was still to replace the iPhone (still looking at iPhone & iPhone 3G) but offer $199 replacements for those with damage or otherwise out of warranty. This was response to customers who didn't understand that the $199 advertised price was a subsidized portion of the full $599.

The third repair strategy rolled out shortly before the 3GS, Genii could now replace iPhone 3G (and 3GS shortly after it's launch) displays in store. The process could easily be accomplished within a 10-15 minute window. I forget the pricing, either $99 or $199.

The next major change was with the iPhone 4 & 4S. Genii could now replace batteries, vibrate motors, cameras and rear glass. However the display was basically the last component in the device so it was not feasible to replace in house, requiring a full swap of the device if the display was shattered.

That brings us to now.

edit: Just to add, when any of the component level repairs were introduced or available the strategy was always to attempt that before proceeding with a full replacement of the device. However, due to the same reasons you outline with queues running behind and whatnot, this was rarely adhered to by employees. Often management insisted on using swaps rather than component replacement to speed up the queues.
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You're very correct, but I didn't want to go into that much detail in my post!
 
T

TMay

macrumors 68000
Dec 24, 2001
1,520
1
Carson City, NV
charlituna said:
Actually Mr Know it Nothing. The machine doesn't replace the display at all.

I had to take a phone in last night for a broken display and asked the Genius about this rumor and he said its basically false. They hand replace the screen and the machine just tests that all the sensors and the touch functions work properly. And as I've had dealing with this Genius for 4 years I trust him not to blow smoke up my butt.
Click to expand...

I believe you.

So unless otherwise determined, there aren't any calibrations at all, just automated function tests.

Oh, and it is quite feasible to calibrate the signal from the touchscreen. Capacitive screens output current as an analog signal, that is converted to digital in the SOC. A standardized "touch" or "multitouch" mechanical input could be calibrated, again with a profile in firmware, to give a nominal touch output, and a standardized response.

Evidently, this machine is not for that.
 
GoCubsGo

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
B-Roll said:
In the memo that I saw, the word calibration was used. To me it just seems like a fancy word to use to throw at customers. :]
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B-Roll said:
I just explained what the machine actually does. And it is true, this just went into effect this week. The misconception here is that the title is calling it a calibrating machine. It is not a calibrating machine. It replaces the display. The "calibration" is just one step in the machines process.

And no I haven't used one, ya got me there but I've got a bit of knowledge on the situation. My forum post broke the original story. I'm famous duh! Haha ;]
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Click to expand...
Why are you saying that the title claims it calibrates when you claimed above that you saw a memo that used the word. I don't think you saw a memo. It sounds like you're claiming you work for Apple.


And you're not famous. ;)
 
sbailey4

sbailey4

macrumors 601
Dec 5, 2011
4,497
3,130
USA
bearbo said:
Haven't posted for years, but this is getting ridiculous.

Of course you can calibrate the touch screen. :confused:

How does touch screen work? The digitizer detects where your chubby little finger(s) touch the screen, and sending the OS the coordinates. If the digitizer was manufactured and mounted to the glass perfectly, then those coordinates would correspond to the correct location that you touched the screen.

However, if something was not perfect, for example, the digitizer is consistently telling the OS a x-coordinate 5% to the right compared the actual location of the contact, then the OS can compensate for that on the software level.

Calibrations (of the touch screen) could be done by having the machine "touch" the screen at a number of pre-specified locations, and detect where the digitizer "thinks" that the machine has touched, thereby producing a calibration map.

This kind of calibration has been done for decades on various types of touch screen, such as the likes of Wacom tablets.

Now, I don't profess knowledge of the working of this particular machine, but to say "once the touchscreen digitizer is applied to the glass/LCD, that's that" is laughable. Just because the general public cannot access the part of the OS that can report the raw data from the digitizer, and compensate for the difference, does not mean it cannot be done.
Click to expand...

I somewhat agree. The garmin GPS's have a calibration feature the end user can do when it gets sloppy. It asks you to touch certain areas as the test highlights different areas on the screen. Of course I am not Apple engineer but clearly "A" touch screen can be calibrated.
 
A

AbSoluTc

Suspended
Sep 21, 2008
5,104
4,002
My iPhone 5 display stopped working correctly and I called Apple Care a few months back to request a replacement phone. They sent me a phone that looked like crap compared to my phone but the screen was brand new. I swapped the screens and sent the phone they sent me back to them stating it was defective on arrival.

So I kept my original phone and have a new screen on it. Never had an issue with color or touch. Not sure what the calibration is for. However I heard from several Genius guys that they don't replace the screens because they need to be calibrated and so forth (that was before).

What does the calibration do honestly and why would it be necessary on a 5 and not a 4/4S?
 
ijohn.8.80

ijohn.8.80

macrumors 65816
Jul 7, 2012
1,246
2
Adelaide, Oztwaylya.
sclawis300 said:
Lets use a little common sense folks.

(common sense remark was more directed at the "idealism" post.)
Click to expand...

This would be the same "common sense" that Apple uses, which had my 27" iMac screen replaced recently instead of just fixing a plug! :rolleyes:

What I was inferring in my post was that things (not just Apple gear) should be designed to be repaired at a better component breakdown level.
 
B

B-Roll

macrumors newbie
Jun 3, 2013
13
0
absolutc said:
my iphone 5 display stopped working correctly and i called apple care a few months back to request a replacement phone. They sent me a phone that looked like crap compared to my phone but the screen was brand new. I swapped the screens and sent the phone they sent me back to them stating it was defective on arrival.

So i kept my original phone and have a new screen on it. Never had an issue with color or touch. Not sure what the calibration is for. However i heard from several genius guys that they don't replace the screens because they need to be calibrated and so forth (that was before).

What does the calibration do honestly and why would it be necessary on a 5 and not a 4/4s?
Click to expand...

you mean you didn't calibrate it after you swapped interchangeable parts??!!?! You've really done it now!!!
 
J

Jonathan2

macrumors newbie
Jun 10, 2013
2
0
MacBook Pro Flickering Retina Display

I've had my MacBook Pro for about six months, it started flickering. Took it to the Genius Bar but it looks like my AppleCares not good enough. I think I have to take them to court.
This is what it looks like, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTOx8BgT_7Q&feature=share&list=PLiiASQax4JifDniTm RUO6OfhoNtX70cZR in this link
I think Apple knows it's going to be a recall on these computers for this flickering Ive been reading some other articles about it, that's where i got this video.

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This is what it looks like, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTOx8BgT_7Q&feature=share&list=PLiiASQax4JifDniTm RUO6OfhoNtX70cZR
Most stores would just hand you a new computer apologize and send you on your way not Apple. :mad:
 
I

iphonerepairny

macrumors newbie
Jun 13, 2013
2
0
Here's what this new, in-store machine is actually doing:

1. Scraping off the broken digitizer glass from the iPhone 5 display assembly (remember that the LCD and digitizer are glued together with a transparent double sided tape adhesive).
2. Testing that the LCD made it through the separation process intact, both physically and electronically.

3. Attaching a new digitizer glass to the "recycled" LCD, making sure it is affixed accurately (physical calibration is necessary as there is less than 1mm of error in all directions).

4.Finally, testing the whole, refurbished assembly for fit and finish, as well as testing the numerous sensors that are also affixed to the display assembly.

Note: Many "keen-eyed" customers may notice scratches in the finished product (only under the glass) as the LCD is very easily scratched in the scraping process -- however most people won't notice immediately, unless specifically pointed out to them.
 
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