[msalmank]

So, as the web is heating up with news of Error 53 on iPhone, I find myself in a little bit of a turmoil. Let me explain:

Last night I found myself guiding my sister-in-law towards purchasing her next phone, which we concluded to be the iPhone 6S Plus. I myself currently own a Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge phone and decided on a switch to the iPhone 6S Plus as well. We're supposed to head out to the market in the next few hours to grab these phones, but the news of E53 has brought hesitation in the decision.

I intend to buy the iPhone 6S Plus 64 GB from an authorized dealer of Apple here in Karachi, that provides official warranty etc. etc. So I'm not much worried about this and don't intend to be using 3rd party repair-shops for any repairs that might be needed, if any, ever.

However, my sister-in-law is looking to get an iPhone 6S Plus 16 or 64 GB but in used from the open market here in Karachi. Though the price difference is not too much, but it is enough to make a difference. It's approx. $100-150 cheaper if you go the market and look for used iPhones from resellers (non-authorized), which puts this under her budget.

I've purchased used phones in the past for myself as well as with others, and I'm very careful to make sure nothing suspicious stands out about the phone, like it should come with its box and accessories, no suspicious marks or dents on the phone, etc. And most importantly, I look up the IMEI on various sites to make sure it is not reported stolen. (For example, I needed to buy a phone for my wife and saw a HTC One M9 in perfect condition, but upon research, found it's IMEI blocked in Australia by Telstra indicating it to be stolen... so didn't buy it. {Me moving to the iPhone will allow her to get her hands on the S6 Edge which she loves}).

But with the E53 error... How can we make sure that the phone is not repaired or wouldn't suffer with this issue? Is it just a matter of checking that the phone is on the latest iteration of iOS and check for updates against Apple's servers? Is there an Apple site that provides history for iPhones? And how can we verify, if possible, that a phone isn't repaired or it's TouchID isn't tampered with?

Most importantly, what is the outcome for E53... Does it really brick your iPhone making it a useless chunk of metal and glass? Or does it only disable Touch ID and related features?

[Sherry_B]

The only way to avoid this is to purchase from a reputable Apple reseller or buy directly from Apple.

[msalmank]

The only way to avoid this is to purchase from a reputable Apple reseller or buy directly from Apple.

So basically this means iPhone resale isn't much of an option let alone buying anything that's not authorized refurbished?

[Sherry_B]

So basically this means iPhone resale isn't much of an option let alone buying anything that's not authorized refurbished?

Probably not. I personally would not risk that much money but that's just me. Your circumstances may be different.

Perhaps someone else with more knowledge than myself can offer a better alternative or a better answer for you. Someone should chime in soon.

[msalmank]

Ahhh!!! Ended up persuading my sister-in-law to go for the 64 GB from the authorised reseller instead of the open market. And yeah, got one for myself too as planned! At the end, when you're spending this much dough on something, you better be sure you're covered!

[Sherry_B]

Good to hear... so happy for the two of you and your new iPhones!!

I hope you will continue to post here and get to know our community. We have some very nice people here.

[msalmank]

Thanks! I've actually been a silent reader of Mobile Nations for a while now, and somewhat active on the Windows Forums (not counting contest entries :P)... I've gone through various Android, iOS, and Windows Phones in the past and one Blackberry device and somehow the most I've posted in the forums has been in relation to Windows Phone on Windows Central. I did have another account that I used before by another name on Mobile Nations, but somehow i transitioned to this new one that I'm not sure when or why I created...

Looking forward to interacting with people in the iMore forums!

Regards.
Salman Khalid.

[bamf-hacker]

In general, buying direct from Apple or an authorized Apple reseller is the best bet. You can save a buck or two upfront but in the end of something goes south then you are out $$$

Glad you are no longer silent . Welcome to posting.

[dejanh]

The only way to avoid this is to purchase from a reputable Apple reseller or buy directly from Apple.

Much ado about nothing. This issue is blown out of proportion.

[firedept10]

Much ado about nothing. This issue is blown out of proportion.

Error 53 is quite a concern from all the research I have done into the issue. This error will basically render your iPhone useless if it shows up on your phone. There is no fix for it. The only fix so far is replacing your iPhone.

The problem is related to the smartphone’s home button, which contains a Touch ID thumbprint reader that can be used to unlock the device rather than inputting a four-digit security code. If the phone is damaged and a non-Apple repairer replaces the button, a subsequent update of the operating system detects a non-standard component and shuts down the device. There is no known way of bringing it back to life.

In countries where an Authorized Apple repair center or Apple Store is not readily available, this becomes more of an issue.

[dejanh]

Error 53 is quite a concern from all the research I have done into the issue. This error will basically render your iPhone useless if it shows up on your phone. There is no fix for it. The only fix so far is replacing your iPhone.

The problem is related to the smartphone’s home button, which contains a Touch ID thumbprint reader that can be used to unlock the device rather than inputting a four-digit security code. If the phone is damaged and a non-Apple repairer replaces the button, a subsequent update of the operating system detects a non-standard component and shuts down the device. There is no known way of bringing it back to life.

In countries where an Authorized Apple repair center or Apple Store is not readily available, this becomes more of an issue.

Quite a concern would only be appropriate if this was a widespread issue affecting tens of thousands of devices. It certainly does not appear to be even close to such a scale, and considering how many devices Apple sells, to those few that are affected by this, I bet that even within that pool the number of users that legitimately did not have access to an Apple authorized repair center is minuscule. A bit of a case of percent of a percent.

I'm not saying that the issue wouldn't be a huge headache and a problem if it happens, just that the risk of it happening is minimal.

[msalmank]

Quite a concern would only be appropriate if this was a widespread issue affecting tens of thousands of devices. It certainly does not appear to be even close to such a scale, and considering how many devices Apple sells, to those few that are affected by this, I bet that even within that pool the number of users that legitimately did not have access to an Apple authorized repair center is minuscule. A bit of a case of percent of a percent.

I'm not saying that the issue wouldn't be a huge headache and a problem if it happens, just that the risk of it happening is minimal.

That's true. But regardless of everything... I think it's best to get from an authorised store and be safe rather than sorry at a later time. Both of us are happy with our purchases!

[Sherry_B]

those few that are affected by this

The fact that we helped msalmank to prevent it from happening to him and his sister-in-law, regardless of how little the chance of it happening were, makes all the difference to me.

[Ledsteplin]

Quite a concern would only be appropriate if this was a widespread issue affecting tens of thousands of devices. It certainly does not appear to be even close to such a scale, and considering how many devices Apple sells, to those few that are affected by this, I bet that even within that pool the number of users that legitimately did not have access to an Apple authorized repair center is minuscule. A bit of a case of percent of a percent.

I'm not saying that the issue wouldn't be a huge headache and a problem if it happens, just that the risk of it happening is minimal.

I'm 80 miles from the closest Apple Store. It's doable, but I'd rather not. It's a shame Apple can't put more stores in areas that don't have one. There's only 2 stores in the state of Alabama.

[msalmank]

The fact that we helped msalmank to prevent it from happening to him and his sister-in-law, regardless of how little the chance of it happening were, makes all the difference to me.

Lol! I had to give emphasis on the peace of mind it'd be to know that you've purchased your phone from an authorized store and can attest to it being genuine. After all, there is no guarantee to that what you're purchasing from the open market isn't refurbished or pre-used and re-sealed, etc.

[msalmank]

I'm 80 miles from the closest Apple Store. It's doable, but I'd rather not. It's a shame Apple can't put more stores in areas that don't have one. There's only 2 stores in the state of Alabama.

I thought you had authorized sellers around the state as well? Honestly, purchasing from an authorized seller only became an option in Pakistan a year ago as before then, iPhone wasn't officially launched in Pakistan.

[Shahzad Ghani One]

So, as the web is heating up with news of Error 53 on iPhone, I find myself in a little bit of a turmoil. Let me explain:

Last night I found myself guiding my sister-in-law towards purchasing her next phone, which we concluded to be the iPhone 6S Plus. I myself currently own a Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge phone and decided on a switch to the iPhone 6S Plus as well. We're supposed to head out to the market in the next few hours to grab these phones, but the news of E53 has brought hesitation in the decision.

I intend to buy the iPhone 6S Plus 64 GB from an authorized dealer of Apple here in Karachi, that provides official warranty etc. etc. So I'm not much worried about this and don't intend to be using 3rd party repair-shops for any repairs that might be needed, if any, ever.

However, my sister-in-law is looking to get an iPhone 6S Plus 16 or 64 GB but in used from the open market here in Karachi. Though the price difference is not too much, but it is enough to make a difference. It's approx. $100-150 cheaper if you go the market and look for used iPhones from resellers (non-authorized), which puts this under her budget.

I've purchased used phones in the past for myself as well as with others, and I'm very careful to make sure nothing suspicious stands out about the phone, like it should come with its box and accessories, no suspicious marks or dents on the phone, etc. And most importantly, I look up the IMEI on various sites to make sure it is not reported stolen. (For example, I needed to buy a phone for my wife and saw a HTC One M9 in perfect condition, but upon research, found it's IMEI blocked in Australia by Telstra indicating it to be stolen... so didn't buy it. {Me moving to the iPhone will allow her to get her hands on the S6 Edge which she loves}).

But with the E53 error... How can we make sure that the phone is not repaired or wouldn't suffer with this issue? Is it just a matter of checking that the phone is on the latest iteration of iOS and check for updates against Apple's servers? Is there an Apple site that provides history for iPhones? And how can we verify, if possible, that a phone isn't repaired or it's TouchID isn't tampered with?

Most importantly, what is the outcome for E53... Does it really brick your iPhone making it a useless chunk of metal and glass? Or does it only disable Touch ID and related features?

... hy bro good to see some one from pak.. i am wondering who are the authorized apple retailers here in pakistan?

i have almost every iphone and currently owning iphone 6 plus and macbook air...was thinking to get iphone 6s plus..but this error 53 thing driving me nuts ....cuz if u break iphone screen or touch id goes bad on u, u have no option but to send to apple store oversea ...and pay nearly 25 to 30 k pkr to get repair.. but glad u took the courage and bought iphone 6s plus.. good to see some one from pak...keep posting.

[Ledsteplin]

I thought you had authorized sellers around the state as well? Honestly, purchasing from an authorized seller only became an option in Pakistan a year ago as before then, iPhone wasn't officially launched in Pakistan.

There's Verizon and the carriers. And WallMart and etc. But none of those can put in a new battery, among other things. I would need to go 80 miles just to have a battery put in? Lol. There's a lot only can be done at the Apple Store.

[msalmank]

There's Verizon and the carriers. And WallMart and etc. But none of those can put in a new battery, among other things. I would need to go 80 miles just to have a battery put in? Lol. There's a lot only can be done at the Apple Store.

Makes sense and I can understand. In our case, I believe units are sent to the Apple Store in UAE from Pakistan as there isn't any Apple Store here!

[Ledsteplin]

Makes sense and I can understand. In our case, I believe units are sent to the Apple Store in UAE from Pakistan as there isn't any Apple Store here!

I don't think the Carriers work on iPhones. There's a repair shop here that does. But then we get back to "error 53". I guess I should be lucky there's an Apple Store within driving distance.

[Sherry_B]

Makes sense and I can understand. In our case, I believe units are sent to the Apple Store in UAE from Pakistan as there isn't any Apple Store here!

I have to consider myself lucky in that there's 9 Apple stores within 30 miles of my house. But then again, I'll travel a lot farther than that to pick up fish for my fish tanks.

[firedept10]

I'm 80 miles from the closest Apple Store. It's doable, but I'd rather not. It's a shame Apple can't put more stores in areas that don't have one. There's only 2 stores in the state of Alabama.

Wow that's surprising. I guess I should consider myself lucky then having 1 just 10 minutes from home and 3 within 45 minutes.

[msalmank]

... hy bro good to see some one from pak.. i am wondering who are the authorized apple retailers here in pakistan?

i have almost every iphone and currently owning iphone 6 plus and macbook air...was thinking to get iphone 6s plus..but this error 53 thing driving me nuts ....cuz if u break iphone screen or touch id goes bad on u, u have no option but to send to apple store oversea ...and pay nearly 25 to 30 k pkr to get repair.. but glad u took the courage and bought iphone 6s plus.. good to see some one from pak...keep posting.

Hey! To find the proper authorized resellers in your city, just go here: https://locate.apple.com/asia/en/. Select Sales and then choose Pakistan from the country drop-down and enter in your city name in the search-box. For example, Apple lists the following Authorized Dealers in Karachi, Pakistan: iTech, Future Tech, and Naheed Supermarket.

In my case, I opted to go for Naheed as unlike Future Tech, they provide iPhones with FaceTime enabled, where Future Tech gets their stock from UAE which does not have FaceTime due to restrictions in UAE.

Coming back to Error 53, from what I've learned, this error relates to iPhones that have been repaired and specifically by un-authorized repair-shops. Yes, there have been cases where the error has been encountered when no repairs were made to an iPhone, but those are limited to a few. What's important is that if you purchase from an authorized reseller here in Pakistan, you get the proper 1 year Repairs and Service coverage (which you can extend to 2 years with AppleCare as well, which I didn't opt for yet) and more importantly, if you encounter any issues, you can take it to the shop where you purchased it from and they'll handle everything for you. In case of Future Tech, I've heard they don't charge you anything extra. For Naheed if they need to send the phone oversears, we have to bear the shipment cost which is not more than Rs. 2000/- (i.e. $20).

The first thing I did when I purchased the phone and activated it was check out the coverage by going to checkcoverage.apple.com. Seeing it for oneself is a comforting feeling indeed!

[Shahzad Ghani One]

nice that's some new information for me ... good to hear we can send back apple products via these authorized sellers in case something happens to these. yup i always check for coverage before buying iphone by putting serial num from iphone box into apple's service check site... i bought most of the phones from local market and most of them were unlocked 3 to 4 days ago...shop keepers give the explanations that in order to check for any manufacturing fault these phones are activated.. now i would buy from authorized sellers from now on, thanks bro.

[bamf-hacker]

There's Verizon and the carriers. And WallMart and etc. But none of those can put in a new battery, among other things. I would need to go 80 miles just to have a battery put in? Lol. There's a lot only can be done at the Apple Store.

But would you risk having some third party person replace your battery or anything on your $1000+ device? Is it worth it for 160 mile round trip? If the third party breaks your device you are making that trip anyway and then it might cost you even more since a non-authorized retailer worked on your phone.

Just my .02 😃