Apple gadgets – this is a very special world, very different from other brands and operating systems. Making the choice in favor of “Apple”, users get high-quality equipment with optimally optimized software and hardware. But “in addition” – and a number of specific conditions and restrictions on operation. One of them is directly related to the repair and replacement of components in case of device breakage. The user will have to decide whether to install original spare parts or a copy. This aspect and will be discussed in the presented material. I received help from Gadget Pickup (click here) in creating this article.
From the background: why it matters
When it comes to Apple and its products, original parts are not just a matter of quality, the problem lies much deeper. You can love the firm’s gadgets, you can genuinely despise them. But even fans of the brand are often outraged by Apple’s overly aggressive policy. Here are a few examples.
The complete locking of the iPhone
With the release of iOS 11.0.3, “bug 53” appeared. Display replacement or other repairs of iPhone 6/6S in unofficial service resulted in the fact that the touchpad stopped working, instead of the smartphone the owner received an uncontrollable “brick”. And it was no longer possible to remove the lock. Under public pressure, backed by mass claims in court, the company made concessions and stopped permanently blocking the devices.
Service messages about non-original components
Another step in the fight against counterfeiting was the service messages that can be displayed on the lock screen after repair. They first appeared in the XR, XS, and XS Max models and referred to the state of the battery. The text appears after the lock is turned on and says: Warning – battery! It could not be confirmed that this iPhone uses an Apple-manufactured battery. No battery status information is available for this battery. That is, in addition to the fact of the notification, no information is available about the wear and tear of the battery, or how much battery life is exhausted.
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The idea caught on. With the advent of the iPhone 11, including 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, users will receive similar notifications when replacing the display module. An important point – the part can be original, removed from a similar “donor” smartphone model. “Important Display Message” will appear if the display was installed in an unauthorized service center.
Four days after replacing the display module, the notification will glow on the display after turning on the lock. After two weeks it can be read in Settings. Later the message is displayed in Settings/General/About.
The attitude of the user to such measures is ambiguous. On the one hand, in the secondary market, it is easier to determine what changes were made by the previous owner. On the other hand – if the owner is the first, with his honestly bought thing he should have the right to do whatever he wants, including repair in a convenient repair shop for a reasonable price, right?
Original Apple Parts
As you can see from the previous section, the most comfortable use of the device provides only original components, installed in certified service centers. And now the fact: Apple’s policy, among other things, includes a complete refusal to supply original parts to stores and service centers. Yes, to official ones, too. If you want an original display module, buy a new iPhone.
Although there are a couple of conventions here, too. In fact, even the “native” display modules and other components are not made in Apple’s own factories, but in enterprises-subcontractors. First and foremost, these are Foxconn and Inventec, located in China. For a number of reasons, it is not possible to organize production in the United States. The vivid example of the Mac Pro, which they tried to assemble in Austin, Texas, and ran into a shortage of screws, showed how much better logistics are thought out in China and how production, in general, is organized.
OEM Components
So online stores are selling replicas marked as “original”? What are the official shops called “OEM” parts? Here we come to the question of what OEM quality components.
Original Equipment Manufacturer, or in Russian Original Equipment Manufacturer, is a designation of the quality level of components of a certain category. These parts are manufactured in factories under license from the gadget manufacturer, in this case Apple. The quality of OEM parts is comparable to the “native” parts installed when the smartphone was released.
We will tell you more about OEM-quality parts in the next article. For now it’s enough to know that OEM-quality parts are meant for repairs at official service centers, as well as in some other cases.
Disassembled parts
Of course, there are still display modules that are taken off other iPhones. If the donor device has not been repaired, then you will get an original spare part. But there are nuances, the main ones:
- How much the device has been exposed during use;
- Whether there will be a donor available when you need the repair.
The problem is especially acute when repairing new models. So it is better to focus on the “conditional original” – OEM displays.
To sum up
Apple’s policy is extremely categorical in terms of non-original spare parts. In this case full conditions for the replacement of broken parts for original ones are not provided:
- originals are put only when new gadgets are released, in other cases OEM components are used;
- Prices for repairs in official service centers are high;
In order to save money and to simplify the repair procedure, users often opt for copies of displays and other components. But this is not always the right decision.
Apple is just in its own world in terms of its fan base. Even my dad who is well over 70 years old uses an iPhone and uses it all the time lol. Cool post bro. Thanks for sharing.