Apple Bows to Pressure and Makes the iPhone 13 Easier to Repair

After backlash around the iPhone 13's repairability earlier this month, Apple has changed its policy and made its latest smartphone easier to repair.

iphone 13 face id display repairsImage via iFixit

Following the launch of the ‌iPhone 13‌ lineup earlier this year, iFixit and other independent repair outlets discovered that replacing the iPhone's display renders Face ID non-functional. This limited basic screen repairs to being provided only by Apple itself, Apple Authorized Service Providers, and Apple-associated repair shops, making it much more difficult for smaller, independent repair shops to provide the same service.

The issue arose because Apple added a small microcontroller to the ‌iPhone 13‌ that pairs the device to its display. When performing a display repair, this microcontroller must be paired to the new display using Apple's tools, which independent repair shops do not have access to. Without this pairing process, swapping an ‌iPhone 13‌ display with a new display results in an error message that says "Unable to activate ‌Face ID‌ on this ‌iPhone‌."

Repair shops without access to Apple's pairing tools could take the microcontroller from the original display and add it to a new display, but it is a time-consuming and challenging process that requires complex soldering and use of a microscope.

Given the negative reaction from users and repair providers who were unhappy with the seemingly arbitrary restriction, Apple has now decided to change its policy. Apple told The Verge that it plans to release a software update that will allow standard display repairs to not disable ‌Face ID‌.

The software update that Apple plans to release will remove the restriction that requires the microcontroller to be transferred to a new display when a repair is made, so independent shops will once again be able to repair screens without impacting the functionality of ‌Face ID‌.

It is not yet known when Apple will add the software update to simplify ‌iPhone‌ display repairs for independent repair providers, but iOS 15.2 is currently in beta testing and the feature could be introduced in that update.

It recently emerged that Apple has made it easier to replace the MacBook Pro's battery, since it is no longer glued in place and trapped under the logic board, in an improvement that may make the new machines more long-lasting and is a step in the right direction for Right to Repair advocates.

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Mock Header With Dynamic Island

Skipping the iPhone 15 Pro? Here's What's Rumored for iPhone 16 Pro

Friday September 22, 2023 9:29 am PDT by
Are you skipping the iPhone 15 Pro and waiting another year to upgrade? If so, we already have some iPhone 16 Pro rumors for you. Below, we recap new features rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models so far:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively, according to Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain...
Update Your iPhone 15 to iOS 17

Warning: Update Your iPhone 15 to iOS 17.0.2 Before Transferring Data From Another iPhone

Friday September 22, 2023 6:36 am PDT by
If you are unboxing an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max today, make sure to update the device to iOS 17.0.2 before transferring data to the device from another iPhone, or else you might encounter issues. iOS 17.0.2 is only available for the iPhone 15 lineup. Apple says the update fixes an issue that may prevent transferring data directly from another iPhone...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 With Bug Fixes, Plus iOS 17.0.2 for iPhone 15 Models

Thursday September 21, 2023 10:28 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates for the iPhone and the iPad, adding bug fixes to the new software. The iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates come just a few days after Apple launched iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. The software, which is build 21A340, can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. There is a...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 double tap gesture 230912

watchOS 10.1 to Enable Apple Watch's New 'Double Tap' Gesture

Thursday September 21, 2023 12:52 pm PDT by
The new Double Tap gesture for the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be enabled starting with watchOS 10.1, according to Marques Brownlee, host of the popular tech-focused YouTube channel MKBHD. The first beta of watchOS 10.1 will likely be available by next week, and Apple announced that the software update will be released next month. Brownlee shared his impressions...