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The fan screw in particular is located in a position that makes it easy to drop into the case. It also is a size that is difficult to find. These things should be standard in the country where they are sold, and, as hardware, readily available.

Flawless device? Or is it an attempt to prevent the OWNER from making modifications?
Good god!!
  1. Go to auto parts store.
  2. Find magnet tool near checkout counter.
  3. Pay $1.99, probably some tax, too.
  4. Go home.
  5. Retrieve screw with tool.
  6. Put tool away.
  7. Skip steps 1-4 next time.
 
Please stop using the word "right" in this context.

If I break my phone (or camera or tv or vcr or dvd player or headphone etc.), I CAN AND WILL bring it to a repair shop. Yes...they may tell me that I broke it myself and thus warranty will not cover it. Fine. But I still have the right to physically walk into a repair center and hand them my phone and ASK if they will repair it. Heck, they might even tell me no because they don't want to work on phones that the customer dropped in water or left in a microwave or opened myself. Fine. Just like some car mechanics don't do oil changes (seriously...because it's not worth their time tying up their business/time with a low-cost service).

As with any product I own, it's mine. Period. I can dismantle it to my heart's content. If I break it, shame on me. And of course if I break it I wouldn't expect a FREE repair. I would expect, however, that a repair shop would STILL FIX IT FOR A FEE.

Moreover, this video mentions that numerous Apple customers go to Apple for the repair and Apple is REPLACING the normal, standard screws that were on the PRODUCT YOU OWN with new, non-standard screws. That's totally wrong. Ethically wrong. The equivalent of bringing your car in for new tires and they weld the lug nuts on (because, again, there is no tool for you to buy to maintain the tires yourself) after giving you new tires.

No, it is not the equivalent. Sorry, your examples do not make sense.

First, your comparison of an iPhone to tires is unrelated. Tires are a wear-and-tear item, like brakes and windshield wipers--not the car itself. Unless of course you're arguing the iPhone battery which you will need to send it to a service center to get replaced....just as you would take your car to a "service center" (Sears? Costco? AMT?) to get the tires replaced.

Second, because it is in a video....on the Internet....by a company that makes money off of selling aftermarket and OEM replacement parts for DIY'ers...that means it must be true? :confused:

Third, assuming the video is accurate, it appears that you need to be an Apple Authorized service center to obtain the tool. If true, your example about TV and VCR repair shops is moot.

Finally, the whole "screw gate" that is this story has nothing to do with whether or not consumers are getting "new screws" but rather keeping modders out of the warranty lines--much like the Liquid Indicators do with people who drop their phones in the toilet and claim "it just stopped working".
 
What's the big deal? So they change it out and if you are whining about wanting to do some hacking to your phone by opening it up, then don't bring it into the repair shop - the shop that is part of the company that MADE your device.

It's not about the screws - it's about Apple and how so many of you complainers like to scratch at because you think they are too controlling. Don't use the iPhone then...don't buy an apple product if their screw changes bugs you. They have put in special screws in their laptops as well. Sure they aren't pentalobular - but they are non-standard over the counter screws either.

If I bring my car in for servicing the stereo - that means I don't know enough to service my own stereo so what is the point of having special screws or not? These aren't even SECURITY SCREWS.

Yes, i would like to open up my computer and have it upgrade by myself. I would not want run to Apple Store and pay for god know how much money for memory upgrade.

And no... i will not buy ANY Apple product anymore. I have had only ONE Apple laptop and one iPod Touch, and that it is. No more Apple product for me (Oh, i just brought a new laptop from Gateway for 600 bucks, that can play games, too bad you Apple fanboys. You guys need spend at least two times more money than i do to do exact same stuff). And i will do my best to prevent my friend getting any Apple product.
 
I've heard this false argument about warranty tons of times - nobody in their right mind, with a warranty repair available, opens up their iPhones for no reason.

This little fantasy you have, is just plain not thought out. What you don't realize, is Apple's warranty doesn't cover everything (nor should it).

If you break your screen, and it was your own fault, that isn't a warranty repair, and you have every right to fix the phone yourself. The phone isn't even worth repairing, often, unless you fix it yourself.

This isn't a warranty buster...average joe isn't opening up the device just to see what's inside - generally they have an out of warranty repair, and that is the reason to open it.

This doesn't "stick it" to apple at all. Other than exposing some of their anti-consumer practices.

I'm going to call you on this claim. I used to install mod-chips in Nintendo Wiis for spending cash when I was in school. Well over half of the Wiis that I received from customers had already been opened in a ham-fisted attempt to install the mod chip themselves. They paid me extra to not only install the chip, but fix broken leads, globs of solder, burnt out resistors etc. I lost track of how many stories I heard from customers that bricked their Wii and got an exchange from Wallmart/Target etc because they were screwing with things that were beyond their ability. Some didn't get away with it, but I was surprised at how many did. Not that I like the companies, but I wonder how much Nintendo and their distributors lost?

I would wager that the switch to pentelobe screws is nothing more than a preventative measure on Apple's part. I wonder how many people that open their iPhones have the knowhow to actually repair it? How many times have people gotten dirt or lint under the screen because they were curious/drying it out after dropping it in the tub/applying a cool new hack they saw from a trusted source on /b/ and then want Apple to exchange it for a new one? All Apple is doing is making it slightly harder for techno-weekend warriors to screw up their phones and expect an exchange.

For those that are capable of completing iPhone repairs themselves, the new screws entails the whopping investment of $10 in a new driver. How is that any different from having to buy a #6 torx to open your DVD player? What is this... some kind of global conspiracy?? Even Nintendo uses tri-wing screws in their Wii, and still the amount of (attempted) fraud they must deal with is incomprehensible.

There are things about Apple that I really like, and there are things about Apple that I hate, but seriously.... claiming that the use of pentelobe screws is somehow infringing on your right as a consumer is beyond ridiculous.
 
I love news-stories like this.
Always a guarantee for a legendary thread.
Keep it coming. :D
 
Shame on them?

What business is it of anybody to tell Apple what to do?

They don't want people to open their stuff.

For the few technically inclined this is not a problem, (we'll get in there).

For the rest of all the users it's a non issue.

It's not "their stuff" after a customer BUYS it. What's next - I have to deliver my Mac Pro to Apple to put in a harddrive, RAM, PCI card or whatever? This is seriously lame dictatorship-like behaviour, even worse than ever before.
 
You see it for what it is! You're

what are you saying ?

I'm just surprise ifixit made a video about this "liberation" kit, when you can buy the exact screwdriver with spare screw for $5 Link i'm in no way affiliated with that site, only a happy customer (made 2 purchases, and delivered on time)

didn't read the whole thread, but my argument in why I want to open the phone cause of two things :

1. changing the backplate, cause it looks cool :D, and reserve the original backplate for when I want to sell the phone.
2. change the battery when it's gone kaput, cause i'm waiting for iphone 6 to come, and skip iphone 5 :apple:
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

What I'm saying is yes, there are some people, such as yourself, that will mod their phone. But remember: that Phone isn't meant for that. So as far as I can see, apple cand weld the damn phone together and they still can get away for it. There is only a hand full of iPhone users that can actually take it apart. As far as the battery goes, apple has a program in Place for that, again something that tue average iPhone consumer doesn't do.
 
Up untill this point, ive never looked at, noticed, or cared about the screws on my iPhone.

After reading this article, I looked at them, noticed them, and still don't care :D
 
I demand... DEMAND... that Apple make ALL their hardware accessible with whatever tools I have in the junk drawer next to the fridge. Although I possess the technical expertise and the right as a consumer to repair my iPhone myself, I am BEWILDERED at how to use anything other than a phillips screwdriver. In addition, Apple needs to add screws to ALL their products that currently lack them for the above reason (I'm looking at you iPad). Anything less would be indicative of a communist dictatorship and I will rally against any future Apple purchases!!
 
Pfft! The Chinese are probably already onto it!

Don't worry - you'll be seeing these new 'rare' screwdrivers appear on eBay in about 2 weeks...lol!
 
crazy

Apple assume that Apple customer=brainless specimen. If I want to destroy my iPhone or just open and loose a warranty, make a jailbreak and any other thing THIS IS MY DECISION AND I HAVE A RIGHT TO DO THIS because this is my property !!!
 
Is this really something to care about? People who want to open their devices, can buy these drivers anyway. People who don't, don't care as long as it works.

Also, I understand the thing about not wanting customers to void the warranty. I also doubt that these screwheads will appear on units that have customer replacable parts (as the MB and MBP, HDD and RAM can be replaced by anyone in them).
 
I guess it doesn't really matter on the iPhone 4 because you can't replace the screen yourself anyways but there are people who replace their batteries.

I believe it's more for the sake of people who "fake-break" their phones by placing wads of paper over the connectors to get them replaced when in fact there's nothing wrong with them other than cosmetic wear-& tear - maybe for the sake of resale value.
 
Apple assume that Apple customer=brainless specimen. If I want to destroy my iPhone or just open and loose a warranty, make a jailbreak and any other thing THIS IS MY DECISION AND I HAVE A RIGHT TO DO THIS because this is my property !!!

Then buy the screwdriver set for $9.95. Not so complicated, is it?

You may want to open your phone, but how many other people want to? The vast majority won't care in the slightest. Stop projecting your views on to everybody who disagrees with you.

P.S. "lose", not "loose". A screw is loose. You lose your keys.
 
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Yeah, true. You don't understand though, apple sells a phone as is. You buy it as is, a Phone. If you are one Of the ones that says apple shouldn't dictate what we do with a phone after we buy it, then you shouldn't dictate what apple does before you buy it. Apple is advertising a phone, not a custom "do what you want to it" phone. I'm not saying don't do it, but what I am saying is don't buy a cat and btich because it doesn't bark.
 
oh boo hoo, how am I going to use my iphone when it is assembled! >:|

damn you devil people who called them torx security instead of flower you ruined the world!
 
Good god!!
  1. Go to auto parts store.
  2. Find magnet tool near checkout counter.
  3. Pay $1.99, probably some tax, too.
  4. Go home.
  5. Retrieve screw with tool.
  6. Put tool away.
  7. Skip steps 1-4 next time.

I can't believe how much people cry over this lol. The girl in the video is the worst though
 
Bemused of London

I’ve just joined MacRumours because I am simply stunned that over 300 posts about a type of screw and screwdriver used in the manufacturing and or repair of the iPhone could generate such outpourings of enraged or maybe deranged people out there. So here's my 300 plus post. Sorry chaps.
If you sign a 24 month Contract, lets say with O2 Telefonica (UK), the phone is heavily subsidised and remains the Property of O2 for the duration of the Contract. It also is covered by a Limited Warranty by Apple, and, if you have also taken out Insurance, it is your responsibility to take reasonable and sensible steps in order to take care of the device otherwise that Insurance, Warranty and Contract may become null and void (we are excluding accidental damage and theft) — and lets say for arguments sake you take apart or modify the product in anyway that is proscribed by any of these bodies, the same would apply. Furthermore, you would also be liable to continue to pay your 24 mth Contract, probably in full. If you are OK with this then go right ahead, but do not expect these services to literally pick up the pieces and give you a replacement or even continue providing you with a Telecom or Insurance service in the future as you would be considered a risk. You may not like this but that is how it stands for most products you purchase, Worldwide Warranties etc… Once you are out of any of any of the above agreements then you can do whatever you feel dangles your keys.
 
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