Since it's so easy to open, I am curious if anyone here has opened their i4 to take a peek and then gone to the Apple store for a legitimate issue and gotten their phone replaced without question. I had heard a rumor in the past that Apple was considering placing some of sort of sensor that could tell if the phone had been opened. When I opened mine the first day I got it, I saw something that looked like a sensor. Three small gold colored contacts.
I don't have any issues with my phone, but wondering just in case if something does.
I opened the back of mine to replace the back, then a week later had a couple dead pixels. So simply put the original back glass on the back and they swapped it for me no question. There is no tape or anything to tell is the back has been opened.
Anything like this Apple would have to possibly open the back themselves anyways causing any type of sensor or tape to show as opened anyways. I'm still waiting on my metal back piece and I'm taking the glass off when I get it. Hopefully all goes well haha.
I took my back off, to put a white back on for a little, and had to put the black back on when my home button decided to die, and they never knew I replaced the back plate on the phone, got a full replacement. (with the original back black on obviously)
I think that even if they did have such a sensor feature, it wouldn't be so hard to get around, unless Apple operated on a strictly mail-in service basis. Since they don't, the feature would have to be serviceable by normal people, and these people would leak the secret of how to beat it. Hence it does not exist - logistics of enforcement are too difficult.
