In the aftermarket back plate thread that's floating around here (https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1271719/), hizzaah posted a link to Apple Parts Store.com (http://applepartsstore.com/index.php/) as being a good place to get replacement parts. After looking around their website, I found that they have the OEM back plates (complete with glass, frame, camera cover, and flash diffuser already installed) for $25. This is a mod I've wanted to do since I first saw someone else do it not long after the iPhone 4 came out (that is, to put a white back plate on a black 4/4S, in effect making the phone two-tone). So, for $25 and free shipping, I was on my way.
First, a word about Apple Parts Store.com. I can't recommend them enough! I ordered the back plate on Monday night and it arrived on Saturday morning, safely boxed and packaged and clearly labeled as a glass object. Their prices are great, shipping is fast, and checkout is a breeze. I've already ordered another part from them today (I'll get to that in a bit).
Now, on to the white back plate.
As most of you know, swapping them out is easy. Remove the two pentalobe screws on the bottom of the phone, push up on the back plate (towards the top of the phone), then simply lift off. It's as simple as that. Of course, it helps if you've got the right PENTALOBE screw driver (as in, the right size)! I stupidly ordered a cheap one from eBay and it turned out to be just a tiny bit too large for the screws! Good thing I only paid $2.50 for it. But it fit well enough to remove the screws, though reinstalling them has a bit of a problem (again, I'll get to that in a second).
Anyway, here I've already removed the black back plate. Just giving you a look at what everything looks like. Oh, and those pentalobe screws are TINY! That's them laying on the white back plate.
And here's the inside of the phone for those of you that may not have seen it before. Nothing scary...lol.
White back plate waiting to go on (there's those tiny screws)
And the original black back plate (I've got a crappy back protector on there, so pay no attention to the "L" shaped bubble on the bottom right)
I apologize, but I forgot to take a picture of the inside of each back plate to show that they're exactly the same. This is definitely OEM stuff that you'll get from Apple Parts Store.
Now for the good stuff. Here's some shots of the phone with the white back/black front. Obviously, you can't tell from the front or back, but from the side, it gives a pretty unique profile.
Front
Back
Now, to go with this, I picked up a Griffin Reveal Frame on eBay for about $7. It's not bad at all. There are a couple of minor imperfections on the inside (having to do with the silicone), but nothing major. I like it with the black front/white back, though. I also like that it still shows off the stainless steel band.
I said I'd get to the screwdriver in a second. I'd advise anyone that needs a pentalobe screw driver to spend a little extra and get it from a reputable place, and probably not eBay. I placed an order with Apple Parts Store today for one of theirs, along with 2 extra pentalobe screws (just in case). You may notice in the shots showing the front and back of the phone that you can see the screws sticking out a little at the bottom. That's because the screwdriver I got from eBay is a bit too large and I can't get a good enough bite on the heads to get them all the way back in. So, for now, I'm using a full-body case to ensure the screws can't come out and go anywhere. But once I get the new screwdriver in and I'm able to tighten them down properly, I'll go back to using the bumper in the pictures above.
I know it's a novel, but I figured some people would like to see this.
First, a word about Apple Parts Store.com. I can't recommend them enough! I ordered the back plate on Monday night and it arrived on Saturday morning, safely boxed and packaged and clearly labeled as a glass object. Their prices are great, shipping is fast, and checkout is a breeze. I've already ordered another part from them today (I'll get to that in a bit).
Now, on to the white back plate.
As most of you know, swapping them out is easy. Remove the two pentalobe screws on the bottom of the phone, push up on the back plate (towards the top of the phone), then simply lift off. It's as simple as that. Of course, it helps if you've got the right PENTALOBE screw driver (as in, the right size)! I stupidly ordered a cheap one from eBay and it turned out to be just a tiny bit too large for the screws! Good thing I only paid $2.50 for it. But it fit well enough to remove the screws, though reinstalling them has a bit of a problem (again, I'll get to that in a second).
Anyway, here I've already removed the black back plate. Just giving you a look at what everything looks like. Oh, and those pentalobe screws are TINY! That's them laying on the white back plate.
And here's the inside of the phone for those of you that may not have seen it before. Nothing scary...lol.
White back plate waiting to go on (there's those tiny screws)
And the original black back plate (I've got a crappy back protector on there, so pay no attention to the "L" shaped bubble on the bottom right)
I apologize, but I forgot to take a picture of the inside of each back plate to show that they're exactly the same. This is definitely OEM stuff that you'll get from Apple Parts Store.
Now for the good stuff. Here's some shots of the phone with the white back/black front. Obviously, you can't tell from the front or back, but from the side, it gives a pretty unique profile.
Front
Back
Now, to go with this, I picked up a Griffin Reveal Frame on eBay for about $7. It's not bad at all. There are a couple of minor imperfections on the inside (having to do with the silicone), but nothing major. I like it with the black front/white back, though. I also like that it still shows off the stainless steel band.
I said I'd get to the screwdriver in a second. I'd advise anyone that needs a pentalobe screw driver to spend a little extra and get it from a reputable place, and probably not eBay. I placed an order with Apple Parts Store today for one of theirs, along with 2 extra pentalobe screws (just in case). You may notice in the shots showing the front and back of the phone that you can see the screws sticking out a little at the bottom. That's because the screwdriver I got from eBay is a bit too large and I can't get a good enough bite on the heads to get them all the way back in. So, for now, I'm using a full-body case to ensure the screws can't come out and go anywhere. But once I get the new screwdriver in and I'm able to tighten them down properly, I'll go back to using the bumper in the pictures above.
I know it's a novel, but I figured some people would like to see this.
