iPhone 13 Screen Replacements Can Break Face ID, a Repair Restriction iFixit Calls 'Completely Unprecedented'

[Darth Tulhu]

Like Jon Stewart once pointed out:

This is Apple being Appholes.

This is the side of Apple I really don't like.

 

[Kar98]

Not completely unprecedented. If you replace the optical drive on a XBox One, you need to move a chip from the old drive to the new one also. But at least you can see them without a microscope

 

[acblue94]

There goes the hope for local independent shops. Apple just wants consumers to go directly to Apple retail locations or Apple Authorized Service Providers.

It’s simple as that.

Yup. I take my Porsche to Porsche to get anything fix. Simple as that.

 

[acblue94]

No, Apple did this so you can't spoof FaceID.

Apple doesn't give a **** about third-party repair services, they care about ensuring the security of their devices.

Exactly.

 

[zorinlynx]

This sucks for right to repair, but over the years I've known several people who have gotten their iPhones repaired at those independent shops and end up with knockoff, non-Apple components that then cause problems for them. I can sort of understand Apple's reasoning for doing this, even if I can't agree with their methods.

When a component swap is detected the phone should notify the user about this, but ALLOW THE USER to bypass the warning and continue using their device with full functionality.

"This phone's screen/battery/faceID sensor/camera has been replaced. The replacement may not be genuine."

Show the message by default on every startup until a month has passed after the repair (so the repair shop can't dismiss it). Continue showing it in settings -> About even after that. This solves the issue with fake parts without interfering with right-to-repair.

 

[Analog Kid]

No one said anything about idling anyone. The argument was "look we make things so secure", when in reality many security issues exists.

You did. You suggested they should solve their software issues first. No, they should work on as many issues in parallel as they can.

 

[RVijay007]

People need to start seeing graphs of the customer LTV (Lifetime value) Apple is extracting on every product, with no sense of competition to drive costs lower on any of those pieces because they block the capabilities at the hardware level. They just want all the money in your bank account, large upfront costs, large insurance costs through AppleCare+, large services that only work on their systems, and no competition to drive said costs lower at every point of interaction of their device.

Security/Privacy is secondary or tertiary in their mind to locking in every dollar of your spend on every product they sell you.

 

[Art Mark]

'Right to repair' is kinda BS I think. Why don't we all stick with 1950's technology then and people can also blow their own glass tubes too? At some point, with MICRO electronics, your crazy uncle in his garage workshop won't be fixing things and that's a good thing as he won't be screwing things up and starting fires and blowing electronic security methods ETC. If anyone can explain why 'right to repair' is a 'right', how it is a 'right' and examples from history when microelectronics have been constructed to allow for home repair would be appreciated.

 

[Mockletoy]

Are you saying you're helpless to choose another phone manufacturer should you want to?

It’s time for me to replace my phone (XS Max), iPad (10.5” Pro), and MacBook Pro (15”, 2018, with failing keyboard).

I’ve been debating for a good little while now whether any of the replacements will be Apple devices.

I’m leaning toward no.

 

[Art Mark]

More ammo for the right-to-repair fight. Apple is just being stupid.

How exactly is fixing crap at home a 'right'? Did I miss part of the Magna Carta or the Constitution?

 

[Analog Kid]

'Right to repair' is kinda BS I think. Why don't we all stick with 1950's technology then and people can also blow their own glass tubes too? At some point, with MICRO electronics, your crazy uncle in his garage workshop won't be fixing things and that's a good thing as he won't be screwing things up and starting fires and blowing electronic security methods ETC. If anyone can explain why 'right to repair' is a 'right', how it is a 'right' and examples from history when microelectronics have been constructed to allow for home repair would be appreciated.

If there was a market for products that sacrificed performance, features or form factor for ease of repair, someone would be selling those products. This is one of those things people want in theory, but not in practice.

 

[Naraxus]

What an absolute ****ing joke. More draconian control by Apple.....

 

[Art Mark]

It’s time for me to replace my phone (XS Max), iPad (10.5” Pro), and MacBook Pro (15”, 2018, with failing keyboard).

I’ve been debating for a good little while now whether any of the replacements will be Apple devices.

I’m leaning toward no.

We all have the ability to buy the things we want. I'm not sure why this would hurt you either way, or anyone else. Is my buying a Ford a major ethical issue for Toyota? Buy what you want. Enjoy what you use.

 

[Mockletoy]

'Right to repair' is kinda BS I think. Why don't we all stick with 1950's technology then and people can also blow their own glass tubes too? At some point, with MICRO electronics, your crazy uncle in his garage workshop won't be fixing things and that's a good thing as he won't be screwing things up and starting fires and blowing electronic security methods ETC. If anyone can explain why 'right to repair' is a 'right', how it is a 'right' and examples from history when microelectronics have been constructed to allow for home repair would be appreciated.

So what you’re saying is, you actually have no idea what right to repair even means, but you’ve developed a strongly-held opinion on it anyway.

Cool.

 

[Wando64]

This is not going to go down well in the EU.
Yet, a lot of people over here will complain if the EU manage to do something about it.

 

[cosmichobo]

I know we can't say 100%... but is this pure revenue raising?

I just don't get it. Why can't Apple (and I'm sure other tech cos) just let people repair their products?

 

[Spock]

How exactly is fixing crap at home a 'right'? Did I miss part of the Magna Carta or the Constitution?

The point is making it a right to be able to repair something that you own. You paid for it, it belongs to you and you should be able to do what ever you want to the device, including a screen replacement without being punished.

 

[Analog Kid]

It’s time for me to replace my phone (XS Max), iPad (10.5” Pro), and MacBook Pro (15”, 2018, with failing keyboard).

I’ve been debating for a good little while now whether any of the replacements will be Apple devices.

I’m leaning toward no.

Thanks for sharing. I suggest you start a thread when you make up your mind so everyone can take their turn on the soapbox.

 

[Mousse]

What it is really doing is making the value of stolen parts much lower if you can't use them. Stolen phones for parts is a big business

So indie shops everywhere are buying stolen iPhones?

and part of why independent repair shops can undercut Apple so much.

🤣🤣🤣 To lift a feather is no great feat of strength.💪 To see the sunrise is no great feat of sight.👀 To replace a broken screen for 1/3 what Apple charges...

So it's okay for Apple to charge rip off prices, but indie shops can't be trusted because they may or may not have purchase parts from shady individuals.

 

[Mockletoy]

Thanks for sharing. I suggest you start a thread when you make up your mind so everyone can take their turn on the soapbox.

Nah, spending time amongst Apple’s most fervent worshippers is one of the things driving me away from them. It’s a little too cult-adjacent for my tastes at times.

 

[Art Mark]

Apple screwing over everyone in order to make more money, then coming up with disingenuous arguments that people on here will defend.

Rinse and repeat.

Really? A major portion of their profit is repairing screens? Most of which happens under Apple Care? Really you truly think that this is a 'profit' issue? Could it maybe be related to how they manufacture/the size of the device/the way they want it to work? No? You think it's a deep plan to soak up more of that screen repair money? I'm just surprised you would put forward and hold an opinion that has, as far as I can see, no logical underpinnings. I would guess there are dozens of reasons on why they build the devies the way they do and very little of it comes from the perspective of whether or not your Uncle Dan can replace the screen in his home workshop or not. BUT there is a HUGE security issue on having people replace components and items that could easily lead to spying ETC. Which do you seriously think is more likely?

 

[mannyvel]

"Right to repair" implies, but does not explicit state, that the device will be in perfect working order once the repair is done.

In this case the screen was indeed repaired, which rendered something else non-functional. How does that fit into the R2R stuff?

 

[Phil77354]

Pressure on manufacturers to improve repairability of their products is a very good thing. It's an indication of greater awareness on the part of consumers to this aspect of our throwaway society, and the more we work towards having products fully repairable, the better, as far as I'm concerned.

Off topic but I also care about how older products are disposed of, and hope that efforts towards making these tech products more fully recyclable will continue to progress. I have a bunch of older stuff that I haven't disposed of, because I don't want that stuff going into a landfill. Turns out that Apple will take older Apple products and recycle them, and even pay for having the product shipped to them. That is a step in the right direction.

 

[Mockletoy]

So indie shops everywhere are buying stolen iPhones?

🤣🤣🤣 To lift a feather is no great feat of strength.💪 To see the sunrise is no great feat of sight.👀 To replace a broken screen for 1/3 what Apple charges...

So it's okay for Apple to charge rip off prices, but indie shops can't be trusted because they may or may not have purchase parts from shady individuals.

Like I said earlier, isn’t is just the weirdest darned coincidence how all of Apple’s “security” policies just happen to be wildly profitable for them.

 

[Art Mark]

So what you’re saying is, you actually have no idea what right to repair even means, but you’ve developed a strongly-held opinion on it anyway.

Cool.

I'd like you to explain why there is a 'right to repair' (how do you arrive at the notion of repairing something you buy being a 'right') and how you logically come to expect that it should be a law and even described as a 'right'. I think the people who use the term 'right' as in 'human rights' are misusing the language and I also think you know that but are being obtuse in your comment.