iPhone XS Max Why does Face ID have such a high hardware failure rate?

[gdourado]

Hello, how are you?
For fun I usually browse the classified ads locally for Apple products.
It is very common to see cheap iPhones X and Xs where the seller says that Face ID is not working.
So this got me curious as to why there seems to be so many used iPhones with Face ID malfunctioning?
Also, many of them are newer than two years, which is the warranty period here in Europe. So why not have Apple fix it under warranty? Or is Face ID something Apple refuses warranty on?
Is it a hardware issue? User error?

Cheers!

 

[jimmy_uk]

I suspect these people have dropped them and damaged these sensors even if no damage is visible

 

[iapplelove]

I have a launch day iPhone X, can’t even remember the last time Face ID didn’t work. First gen little phone has blown me away so much so that she’s a keeper until the next generation of iPhones are here, usb C etc.

 

[sunapple]

I wouldn’t trust those phones. They probably fiddled with the hardware.

 

[bobob]

Personally, I suspect that since a high percentage of locally sold iPhones are stolen, the sellers are claiming hardware issues to coverup their inability to unlock them.

 

[gdourado]

Personally, I suspect that since a high percentage of locally sold iPhones are stolen, the sellers are claiming hardware issues to coverup their inability to unlock them.

They work. They just have Face ID disabled and just use a passcode.
I don’t want to buy one as I am very happy with my XS Max.
I just got curious of seeing these listings appear almost everyday.

 

[sunapple]

Why would Apple refuse to repair them? Maybe because the owner didn't have the receipt either because it was second hand or maybe stolen? Or because they tried to repair the phone themselves (say for battery change) and either damaged FaceID or voided the warranty.

With previous iPhones, many second hand phones were listed with disabled TouchID, usually due to screen replacement, knock-off parts or clumsy repairs.