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Removing iphone 4 cameras

L

loyrun

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 30, 2010
24
0
I have pre-ordered the iphone 4 32GB. Since I work for an R&D company the security clearances require no cameras on the premises.

I can get the iphone approved if the cameras are removed or the lens cracked a dab of epoxy is placed overtop basically so the camera is rendered useless.

A couple questions about this.

  1. Will this void my warranty, on the camera I would assume, but if the screen or hard drive fail later?
  2. would this void a square trade warranty? I don't really care wither way as it needs to happen, just wondering what I'm going to be getting into.
  3. Can I have this done by an apple tech or an authorized repair? (I'm willing to pay)
  4. how hard would this be to do myself?

disguising is not an option, basically the camera needs to be disabled. I never use a phone camera (or any camera) anyway so no skin off my back. I work long hours and want to use it as an ipod at my desk, and it would be nice to have unfiltered internet/email at lunch(no wifi available).

Thanks for all the help, I have searched for quite awhile without much luck, the only threads I found are quite old, without much response.
 
#3 seems like it would be your only option (if they would even do it). Any others would void your warranty. But you knowingly purchased a phone that you knew you couldn't take to work? Since that's where one spends most their time I would have gotten a dumbphone and an iPod touch.
 
if your firm i buying and administering it then they can disable the camera via software (see apple's enterprise deployment guide)

But you aren't going to get a hardware mod. I mean, for all intents and purposes you can, but you'll void your warranty.
 
I would have purchased some crappy flip phone and iPod touch as the other guy said. I can't fathom disabling a major feature of an expensive phone. And yes, you will be voiding your warranty.
 
dissdnt said:
...dogs barking can't fly without an umbrella.
Click to expand...

What is that Supposed to mean?


Roessnakhan said:
#3 seems like it would be your only option (if they would even do it). Any others would void your warranty. But you knowingly purchased a phone that you knew you couldn't take to work? Since that's where one spends most their time I would have gotten a dumbphone and an iPod touch.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'd like to have an iphone for outside of work, don't care at all about a camera, and I'd like to have the phone/internet features for lunch/breaks


Eddyisgreat said:
if your firm i buying and administering it then they can disable the camera via software (see apple's enterprise deployment guide)

But you aren't going to get a hardware mod. I mean, for all intents and purposes you can, but you'll void your warranty.
Click to expand...

interesting that software is available, thanks for the head up. looks like I'll be voiding my warranty, which ultimately I don't really care about too much, but if it does it would be nice to pay someone else to do it with a guarantee that it works when they put it back together.
 
A lot of my friends work for the DoD and have the same issue, on the old iphone, you could just swap the sim with a camera-less phone before and after work. However, with this new micro-sim that's not possible, I wan't to know if you can get a regular sim made for the same line because I'd like the option to swap phones too. Of course, in my case, it's for partying, backpacking, boating etc. Since I have yet to own a phone that hasn't been submerged, dropped and kicked around in its lifetime.
 
klitorisaurus said:
A lot of my friends work for the DoD and have the same issue, on the old iphone, you could just swap the sim with a camera-less phone before and after work. However, with this new micro-sim that's not possible, I wan't to know if you can get a regular sim made for the same line because I'd like the option to swap phones too. Of course, in my case, it's for partying, backpacking, boating etc. Since I have yet to own a phone that hasn't been submerged, dropped and kicked around in its lifetime.
Click to expand...

You can simply buy an adapter off eBay. Then you can put the micro sim in the adapter, then put that in your phone without a camera.
 
LordOBoogie said:
I would have purchased some crappy flip phone and iPod touch as the other guy said. I can't fathom disabling a major feature of an expensive phone. And yes, you will be voiding your warranty.
Click to expand...

I did the cheap optibay swap for my DVD drive on my MBP, which didn't void my warranty. Same thing here, just removing something I don't need. To each his own
 
klitorisaurus said:
A lot of my friends work for the DoD and have the same issue, on the old iphone, you could just swap the sim with a camera-less phone before and after work. However, with this new micro-sim that's not possible, I wan't to know if you can get a regular sim made for the same line because I'd like the option to swap phones too. Of course, in my case, it's for partying, backpacking, boating etc. Since I have yet to own a phone that hasn't been submerged, dropped and kicked around in its lifetime.
Click to expand...

You can buy a micro-sim to regular sim adapter. They sell for $9. This way you'll be able to swap back and forth.
http://www.amazon.com/Micro-card-ad...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1276738706&sr=8-1
 
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nickspohn said:
You can simply buy an adapter off eBay. Then you can put the micro sim in the adapter, then put that in your phone without a camera.
Click to expand...

gwang73 said:
You can buy a micro-sim to regular sim adapter. They sell for $9. This way you'll be able to swap back and forth.
http://www.amazon.com/Micro-card-ad...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1276738706&sr=8-1
Click to expand...

Did not know about that, thanks! Isn't the micro supposed to have more features? And it's still compatible? Must be so.
 
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They would have to remove both back and front facing camera.
I wouldnt ruin the phone like that just so I can bring it to work.
Swap the sim in a regural cheap cellphone for the time beeing.
You wont be using a cellphone much while you're working anyway IMO.
 
you could always put a dab of silicon over it, the kind from a caulk gun. that way when you go to sell it, you can pull it right off.
 
Is anyone reading the original post? He needs an iPod function at work and an internet phone that will connect to 3G. Goodness... :rolleyes:

I'd suggest a dab of epoxy. Maybe even something gummy that you could always take off later.
 
what about some type of case that will cover up the camera? I know this does not render it useless, but would it work?
 
readerbreader said:
you could always put a dab of silicon over it, the kind from a caulk gun. that way when you go to sell it, you can pull it right off.
Click to expand...

ijen0311 said:
Is anyone reading the original post? He needs an iPod function at work and an internet phone that will connect to 3G. Goodness... :rolleyes:

I'd suggest a dab of epoxy. Maybe even something gummy that you could always take off later.
Click to expand...

I don't know about his work, but if it's similar to DoD... just covering it up with something that you can just take off, defeats the whole purpose and will probably not be allowed.

For a few camera phones, the DoD actually runs custom software that has the camera functions disabled, but if you want to use a phone of your choosing, it can't even have a physical camera, or even a spot where there used to be a camera but it's been covered or broken out.

So basically, if they're that strict, to my knowledge, there aren't any internet capable phones that he can even use.... hence, the swap suggestion.
 
ijen0311 said:
Is anyone reading the original post? He needs an iPod function at work and an internet phone that will connect to 3G. Goodness... :rolleyes:

I'd suggest a dab of epoxy. Maybe even something gummy that you could always take off later.
Click to expand...

haha thank you.

A friend of mine took apart and epoxied over the camera in his 3GS that was out of warranty, and the security guys ok'd it to carry. I'll probably wait few days and look at the tear down videos and see how hard it will be to do myself.

it would be sweet if the company would allow a software fix, but I don't see it happening as it would be too easy to carry in a non approved phone. If the camera is physically disable there is no question if the phone has been approved.
 
Honestly, is it even worth it to go through all of the hassles to absolutely have an iphone4?

Camera/video are the biggest selling points of the iphone 4. The HD recording, face-time, etc.

It's like buying a Bentley and ripping out the leather interior and replacing with cheap cloth.
 
First I would buy this http://microsim-shop.com/
Mini-UICC-Adaptor.jpg
. Then I would buy an iPhone 3G or 3GS from someone and then disable the camera in those. Once my work day is over, put the sim back in my iPhone 4
 
At least you can take some kind of phone into work, I'm not allowed to have ANYTHING that has a camera, memory or can transmit data (ie. thumb drives, texting pagers, cellphones, etc.). It's very possible that we could have our clearance revoked if caught using them inside of work, it's considered a threat to national security. As for your OP, why ruin a huge feature of a brand new phone? Plus you have 2 cameras to 'remove'.
 
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