• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Using a non Apple authorized repair shop to change the Iphone 13 screen will disable Face-ID

Kadve

Member
They are really trying to take command over the whole "right to repair" thing.


Apple has been chipping away at iPhone repair work outside their control for years now. With new changes to the iPhone 13, they may be aiming to shatter the market completely.

The new iPhone 13 completely disables its flagship Face ID functionality when you replace its screen. We have confirmed this repeatedly in our lab, testing with many different phones on iOS 15 and 15.1, and our results have been replicated by numerous repair professionals.
This is a dark day for fixers, both DIY and professional. One of the most common phone repairs that could once be done with hand tools now requires a microscope. This means you won’t be able to fix your iPhone screen yourself without sacrificing major functionality. It also has huge implications for the professional repair industry, for which Apple is the dominant brand to service. Small shops could be shuttered, forced to choose between spending thousands on new equipment or losing a major source of income.

For shops that want to survive, their only options will be to join Apple’s onerous IRP network—not an option for shops that value their customers’ privacy—or work past the iPhone’s locks with microsoldering tools and training. This unprecedented lockdown is unique to Apple. It’s totally new in the iPhone 13, and hard to understand as a security measure, given that the Face ID illuminator is entirely separate from the screen. It is likely the strongest case yet for right to repair laws. And it’s all because of a chip about the size of a Tic-Tac, tucked into the bottom of a screen.
The iPhone 13 is paired to its screen using this small microcontroller, in a condition repair techs often call “serialization.” Apple has not provided a way for owners or independent shops to pair a new screen. Authorized technicians with access to proprietary software, Apple Services Toolkit 2, can make new screens work by logging the repair to Apple’s cloud servers and syncing the serial numbers of the phone and screen. This gives Apple the ability to approve or deny each individual repair.
iphone13_faceid_chip.jpg
 

Fbh

Member
Yup, sucks.
There's some videos on youtube that show that even if you swap identical components from 2 brand new Iphones they'll disable some features.

Sadly the average consumer doesn't give a shit.
IMO the only thing that could see meaningful change in regards repairability is if politicians start to go after throwaway electronics from an environmental perspective to get extra points.
 
Last edited:

Cyberpunkd

Gold Member
Sadly the average consumer doesn't give a shit.
IMO the only thing that could see meaningful change in regards repairability is if politicians start to go after throwaway electronics from an environmental perspective to get extra points.
I’m shocked this still isn’t a thing. In France I notice some companies publishing repair ability score of. Their products - is this EU-wide?
 

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
I've never taken a phone or device in for repair when the screen is damaged. I usually have a case & screen protector on the device. I've only had maybe 2 smart phones that I managed to crack the screen (neither had case or screen protector). I'm surprised this is such a common issue, especially nowadays.
 

Kadve

Member
I've never taken a phone or device in for repair when the screen is damaged. I usually have a case & screen protector on the device. I've only had maybe 2 smart phones that I managed to crack the screen (neither had case or screen protector). I'm surprised this is such a common issue, especially nowadays.

You will be surprised hearing about how bad some people take care of their phones. My mother is responsible for supplying the people at the firm she works at with phones, and the state some people hand them back in is staggering.

The best part though is that most refuse to admit to what they've actually done with them to get them in such a state. Its pretty common for people to claim they simply dropped it, when it looks like it was (and probably has) been run over with a car.
 

TransTrender

Gold Member
I have an iPhone 13 and turned off face id. As I did fingerprint for my last Android.
Too much of a pain in the ass with masks and now gloves that the weather is turning. Pita when you're all geared up for skiing or fishing.

But I get it, this sucks, right to repair needs to be law without caveats like this.
 
Last edited:
apple and e waste. Name a better duo lol

and most people don't realize that if you send it back to apple to fix it, most of the time they just give you a replacement instead.
 

daveonezero

Banned
apple and e waste. Name a better duo lol

and most people don't realize that if you send it back to apple to fix it, most of the time they just give you a replacement instead.
That isn’t true. I did a MacBook Air keyboard replacement under warranty and waited 4 weeks. I literally had to chew them out for a few weeks.

they needed up having to replace the main board so outside the screen and case it was new.
 

HoodWinked

Member
Larry David Reaction GIF


despite being an android user I'm mixed on it, having the camera hardware locked to that phone would make it secure, if you could replace the camera you could technically bypass the face-id using sophisticated hacks so it's somewhat legitimate. but the effort to do this would be astronomical so realistically its kind of pointless for nearly all use cases.
 

Konnor

Member
Larry David Reaction GIF


despite being an android user I'm mixed on it, having the camera hardware locked to that phone would make it secure, if you could replace the camera you could technically bypass the face-id using sophisticated hacks so it's somewhat legitimate. but the effort to do this would be astronomical so realistically its kind of pointless for nearly all use cases.


You still lose face id when you replace it with original accessories.
 
Last edited:

Cyberpunkd

Gold Member
As much as it sucks there is a good thing out of it - if Apple kills the second market for parts less phones will be stolen. Already iPhone is a brick since you can just wipe and brick it remotely, but now the thieves will not be able to gut it for parts.
 
I have an iPhone 13 and turned off face id. As I did fingerprint for my last Android.
Too much of a pain in the ass with masks and now gloves that the weather is turning. Pita when you're all geared up for skiing or fishing.

But I get it, this sucks, right to repair needs to be law without caveats like this.
Yes that sucks but if you have the watch it unlocks the phone without needing Face ID.
 

Ionian

Member
That isn’t true. I did a MacBook Air keyboard replacement under warranty and waited 4 weeks. I literally had to chew them out for a few weeks.

they needed up having to replace the main board so outside the screen and case it was new.

Oh it's true and very well documentated. Replace a motherboard? You got screwed.

Then again you paid to get screwed. Twice.
 

Pagusas

Elden Member
How can Apple claim to care about
I have an iPhone 13 and turned off face id. As I did fingerprint for my last Android.
Too much of a pain in the ass with masks and now gloves that the weather is turning. Pita when you're all geared up for skiing or fishing.

But I get it, this sucks, right to repair needs to be law without caveats like this.

if you have an Apple Watch it’ll unlock your phone even with a mask on. That’s helped me out a ton during the winter.
 

Konnor

Member
Btw Apple is a progressive company that totally cares about the environment. But fuck your right to repair and if you go to Apple to repair your stuff and get robbed 9 out of 10 times it was your fault and they recommend you to buy new Apple crap because they totally can't fix it. Luis Rossman btw has repeatedly proved that they're lying their asses off and that most stuff can be fixed but they refuse to do it.
 

Paasei

Member
Just retarded. Thought that in the EU they are forced to change that (in the near future), but again, not sure.
 

Mistake

Member
Apple backed down




Apple’s arguments for security flaws can be handled software side, this happened before with third rate cables getting access to phones, and why this feature is here

NPz0uTP.jpg
 
Last edited:

EverydayBeast

thinks Halo Infinite is a new graphical benchmark
Another challenge for the average repairman who do great jobs, if you go to one of those guys be prepared to not have Face-ID.
 

MachRc

Member
Another challenge for the average repairman who do great jobs, if you go to one of those guys be prepared to not have Face-ID.
they buckled to public demand ( or so people think) its been rectified so there is no more bad press about it. Good on them. Now let every damn apple phone have a 120hz pro motion screen.

Me

"Mom, you gotta get the Pro if you want any real modern update to your phone screen"

mom

"why do I need a Pro?" "Why do I need an update to my screen?"[old woman voice]
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom