Applecare and 3rd-Party Backs (iPhone 4/4S)

[JulesK]

Has anyone had any difficulties with Applecare warranty replacement/service with an iPhone 4 that had a 3rd-party back? I want to use a Material 6 wood back (beautiful, by the way), and it looks like an easy enough swap, but it won't be worth it if Apple somehow cares if an issues comes up with the phone that isn't related to the back. I know I can easily reinstall the original back, and that you can get OEM backs if you damage the original one (so Apple probably sees those all the time), but since I just got my iPhone 4S and the Applecare+ warranty, I don't want to do anything that would risk coverage. I guess I could imagine them looking at the pentalobe screws and claiming that they look turned, and that I must have somehow fiddled with the inside of the phone.

My recollection is that a manufacturer generally cannot decline a warranty claim for a modification that has nothing to do with what went wrong with the product, but I'm not sure here.

Thanks in advance.

 

[M Quick]

I'm 99% sure that your warranty will be void if you send it in with an aftermarket rear. As the original part is made to remove the heat from the battery inside the phone when you use it for heavy tasks or charge it.

So it does serve a pretty critical function and is not just only for looks. Using a metal backing though wouldn't give you any disadvantage as i can see, but wood would..

And if you think about it, an overheating battery can cause pretty much any problem in the phone. Or well, maybe not physical button damage or such, but well, you probably understand where i'm going with this.


I would simply switch back to the original back plate before a warranty repair if i where you. AFAIK the warranty isn't voided if you undo those two screws, as they have no warranty void sticker going in between or something similar. Never been a problem over here at least.