I don't think I verbally assaulted anyone. And I don't work for Apple or their legal team. I was stating that what I think he is doing is actionable if his story is proven false. The only "impossible scenario" is the one the OP has presented. Here are some observations that substantiate my theory, minus the *magic.*
The display was not "ripped off." The pentalobe screws on either side of the lightning port were removed with a pentalobe screwdriver, that the OP admitted to purchasing, even though he had "no reason" to open his phone. If they "snapped off" as the OP claimed, they would still be inside the phone. They were not, in the photographs.
After removing the display, the ribbon cables underneath are attached to the logic board. The connection points are protected under an EMI shield that is held in place by four screws. If the display were ripped off, it would indeed tear the ribbon cables off as the OP claimed after being questioned about it. However, those cables would not be laying freely as pictured in the follow up post. They would still be attached under the EMI shield. The shield and its four screws were removed with a screwdriver. It could not be removed by force without damaging the surrounding elements of the logic board. It is important to note that in the photographs, the EMI shield and cables are not present when the device is smoking.
Also shown in the photographs, the battery ribbon cable is disconnected. This cable is also located underneath a second EMI shield, held in place by two more screws. It cannot even be suggested that this shield was "ripped off" because the battery was not removed and the ribbon cable is undamaged. This piece was also intentionally removed.
For those unfamiliar with dismantling an iPhone 5/5S, the process would be to remove the two pentalobe screws as Ive described. Remove the display as Ive described. Remove the first EMI shields, then unplug the ribbon connectors, as Ive described. The next step is to remove the battery. That would involve removing the second EMI shield, unplugging the battery cable (again as Ive described above) and THEN PULLING THE BATTERY UP FROM THE ADHESIVE IN THE CASING. This step is very dangerous if done improperly. If one is not aware of the danger of lithium batteries, they may try to use the screwdriver they've been using up to this point to wedge underneath the battery and pry it upward. This can result in the sharp metal end puncturing the underside of the battery. Puncturing a lithium-ion battery will cause a chemical reaction that results in bulging and possibly fire.
It is my theory that "ripping off" the display and leaving the phone in its pictured condition is physically impossible. Taking the time to remove 10 screws, 2 EMI shields and disconnecting 4 ribbon cables during a battery fire is also highly improbable. It is also not the version of events being alleged by the OP. You can agree or disagree but I believe the phone was intentionally being taken apart for one reason or another, the battery was inadvertently punctured and a story was fabricated (including the damage done to the display and ribbon cables AFTER the incident) that would lead to the OP getting a replacement phone from Apple, which he received. You don't have to believe me, but that is what the pictures tell me. If anyone has any technical or factual information to dispute my claim, I'm all ears, but the fact remains that ripping the display off would've caused damage inconsistent with what we're seeing in the photographs. Either way, OP got a new phone and I doubt we'll ever know the findings of Apples internal investigation of the matter.
