Is the iPhone 5 back plate going to be replaceable?

[unagimiyagi]

Hi,

I have a feeling that the answer is no. But with the iPhone 4 I was worried about scratching the glass back. Then I realized that it's not gorilla glass and not nearly as high a caliber as the front glass.

So on ebay they are selling the entire backplate for < $10 shipped. No biggie, that costs less than an invisible shield or other skins. So I quit caring about scratches and cracks.

But the iPHone 5 back plate is a unibody aluminum, right? So you can't replace it. And worse, Aluminum doesn't crack but it surely will dent like a tin can like many macbook pros do. Has anyone learned this to be true the hard way?

 

[ri0ku]

Hi,

I have a feeling that the answer is no. But with the iPhone 4 I was worried about scratching the glass back. Then I realized that it's not gorilla glass and not nearly as high a caliber as the front glass.

So on ebay they are selling the entire backplate for < $10 shipped. No biggie, that costs less than an invisible shield or other skins. So I quit caring about scratches and cracks.

But the iPHone 5 back plate is a unibody aluminum, right? So you can't replace it. And worse, Aluminum doesn't crack but it surely will dent like a tin can like many macbook pros do. Has anyone learned this to be true the hard way?

I am confused, the title you made says can we replace the backplate and in your same post you clearly state you can't and that its not a back plate :S answering both questions.

 

[Givmeabrek]

Still looking for the question. I guess there isn't one. There is no back plate to replace anyway...

 

[InfinitiG]

already a thread about this

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1456547/

 

[Blorzoga]

Do you think the back plate of the iPhone 5, which isn't really a plate can be replaced, like the iPhone 4 back plate which was a plate could be replaced? Or do you think that because the back plate of the iPhone 5 is not really a plate that it cannot be replaced like the back plate of the IPhone4 which was actually a plate?

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

No, it's a unibody construction so the entire iPhone will need to be swapped out for $229 in case it's damaged.

 

[UCF Sam]

It's a true unibody design so its not really practical to replace. It's not simply a back plate, more like a shell that holds everything. You'd essentially have to remove all components and transfer them to the new one.

Possible? Yes, but probably about 2 hours work and $150 for parts. If my black/slate iPhone is in horrible shape in a couple years, I'll probably try to switch out the "back" for one from a white/silver phone... That could be an interesting look.

 

[MuddyPaws1]

Hi,

I have a feeling that the answer is no. But with the iPhone 4 I was worried about scratching the glass back. Then I realized that it's not gorilla glass and not nearly as high a caliber as the front glass.

So on ebay they are selling the entire backplate for < $10 shipped. No biggie, that costs less than an invisible shield or other skins. So I quit caring about scratches and cracks.

But the iPHone 5 back plate is a unibody aluminum, right? So you can't replace it. And worse, Aluminum doesn't crack but it surely will dent like a tin can like many macbook pros do. Has anyone learned this to be true the hard way?

We found out the hard way that it can and does dent quite easily. Man the wife is hard on phones.