Why are my clients iPhones and iPads Bricking themselves?!

[iMore Question]

Hi,

I am new here and am trying to figure out how Apple are allowed to render my customers iPhones and iPads useless after I am repairing them to survive!

I use anti-static wristband, tools and anti-static bags to work on so there's no chance of logic board damage/failure/similar! I also have over 3 years experience in iPad and iPhone repairs...

------------

Ok, so, a couple years ago, on an iPhone 4 / 4s, when I used to unplug the battery, it would revert the time and date back to January 1st 1970...Right?? YES

I have just replaced a screen assembly and a battery on an iPhone 6 today, and now it won't power up at all...Bricked!!

I did some research, and found the most recent iOS9+ 1970's bug and there seems to be a bit of a coincidence here! As Apple is now bricking devices that go back to 1970 with it's new iOS..Is this why this iPhone 6 has bricked itself? Because I removed the battery?

So many odd Brickings happening lately, I am wondering if the new iOS is the culprit here.

I wonder if the new iOS has the ability to disable the Power IC if anything is disconnected???

I never has this problem before iOS 9.3.2

If this is the case, and Apple are bricking phones... what entitles them to do this and since when does Apple have authority! When someone buys an expensive iPhone/iPad, they certainly are entitled to have it repaired by a third party!!! Apple have even Monopolized on the fact that YOU CAN'T EVEN REPAIR YOUR OWN DEVICE - It has to go through Apple is this correct?

If so, I might have to reconsider my Career if Apple continue to be greedy

Also, am I right to say that if I use any third party repair part it will
disable/Brick the iPhone/iPad entirely?

Sorry for all the questions, but I have over ?1000 worth of iDevices here, and I believe Apple's new iOS is the culprit!!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance

 

[nikkisharif]

Welcome to iMore

To answer your post....There's no evidence that Apple is doing anything. For all we know, you might have put the device together wrong or didn't setup something correctly. I know several people that repaired their own devices with no issues, and again that leads me to believe you missed a step somewhere. As far as using a third party replacement part, this voids your warranty. There's a difference between that and disabling/bricking your device. If your device gets bricked due to a third part part, it's either user error or the part is defective.

 

[Just_Me_D]

re:

Hi,

I am new here and am trying to figure out how Apple are allowed to render my customers iPhones and iPads useless after I am repairing them to survive!

I use anti-static wristband, tools and anti-static bags to work on so there's no chance of logic board damage/failure/similar! I also have over 3 years experience in iPad and iPhone repairs...

------------

Ok, so, a couple years ago, on an iPhone 4 / 4s, when I used to unplug the battery, it would revert the time and date back to January 1st 1970...Right?? YES

I have just replaced a screen assembly and a battery on an iPhone 6 today, and now it won't power up at all...Bricked!!

I did some research, and found the most recent iOS9+ 1970's bug and there seems to be a bit of a coincidence here! As Apple is now bricking devices that go back to 1970 with it's new iOS..Is this why this iPhone 6 has bricked itself? Because I removed the battery?

So many odd Brickings happening lately, I am wondering if the new iOS is the culprit here.

I wonder if the new iOS has the ability to disable the Power IC if anything is disconnected???

I never has this problem before iOS 9.3.2

If this is the case, and Apple are bricking phones... what entitles them to do this and since when does Apple have authority! When someone buys an expensive iPhone/iPad, they certainly are entitled to have it repaired by a third party!!! Apple have even Monopolized on the fact that YOU CAN'T EVEN REPAIR YOUR OWN DEVICE - It has to go through Apple is this correct?

If so, I might have to reconsider my Career if Apple continue to be greedy

Also, am I right to say that if I use any third party repair part it will
disable/Brick the iPhone/iPad entirely?

Sorry for all the questions, but I have over ?1000 worth of iDevices here, and I believe Apple's new iOS is the culprit!!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance

If I am understanding you correctly, you're telling us that a good deal of your customers' iPhones have become bricked AFTER you have supposedly fixed them. For example. You mentioned that you replaced a broken screen and afterwards, the iPhone became bricked. Yet, you're blaming Apple for what is more than likely your screw-ups with your customers' devices. My advice?

1. Take responsibility for your role in the bricking of the iPhones.
2. Learn the ins and outs of the iPhone prior to accepting a Customer's iPhone for repair.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Sounds like error 53. Apple has a fix for Error 53. Send your customers to Apple.

People who have iPhones running iOS 9 sometimes see ?Error 53? when trying to restore the phone through Apple?s iTunes software after being prompted to connect the device to a computer. The error, which prevents the user from using the device, seems to occur on the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6S, and iPhone 6S Plus after their Touch ID sensors are repaired by unapproved retailers.

 

[pkcable]

re:

I don't believe this is something Apple has done intentionally but rather it may be a bug, that was introduced by the latest software. Perhaps Apple can advise you on how to repair the devices and avoid causing this bug to happen?

About AppleCare Service Certifications - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205332

 

[Quis89]

Re:

If I am understanding you correctly, you're telling us that a good deal of your customers' iPhones have become bricked AFTER you have supposedly fixed them. For example. You mentioned that you replaced a broken screen and afterwards, the iPhone became bricked. Yet, you're blaming Apple for what is more than likely your screw-ups with your customers' devices. My advice?

1. Take responsibility for your role in the bricking of the iPhones.
2. Learn the ins and outs of the iPhone prior to accepting a Customer's iPhone for repair.

I think this is an unfair response. He replaced the screen and it is very possible that in doing so he also replaced the Touch ID sensor/home button since it is typically built into the new screen and replacing it with the screen is much easier than the alternative. If that is how he is repairing phones he is servicing then it is much more likely that he is experiencing Error 53, which has been widely reported. In which case this isn't a matter of personal responsibility as much as it's a bug that Apple didn't mention until it was reported on. Based on his post, he definitely has experience (if he is to be believed). Could it be the OPs negligence? Sure. But there are also other possibilities in this case.

To the OP, if your repairs involve the Touch ID sensor in any way then Error 53 is likely what you're experiencing. And Apple is assisting at resolving that error. I don't believe there to be a fix for it yet but there may be. If not, you'll just want to educate your customers on this error or avoid any repairs that involve the Touch ID sensor.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Re:

I don't believe this is something Apple has done intentionally but rather it may be a bug, that was introduced by the latest software. Perhaps Apple can advise you on how to repair the devices and avoid causing this bug to happen?

About AppleCare Service Certifications - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205332

Actually, it was intentionally done by Apple for "security" reasons involving the Touch ID sensors. It was a bad move by Apple. They had other alternative ways to implement the security measures.

 

[pkcable]

Re:

Actually, it was intentionally done by Apple for "security" reasons involving the Touch ID sensors. It was a bad move by Apple. They had other alternative ways to implement the security measures.

YIKES I stand corrected. I agree bad move on Apple's part. That being said I stand by my recommendation that the gentleman go for Apple tech certification.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Re:

YIKES I stand corrected. I agree bad move on Apple's part. That being said I stand by my recommendation that the gentleman go for Apple tech certification.

Most definitely get authorized.

 

[Just_Me_D]

Re:

I think this is an unfair response. He replaced the screen and it is very possible that in doing so he also replaced the Touch ID sensor/home button since it is typically built into the new screen and replacing it with the screen is much easier than the alternative. If that is how he is repairing phones he is servicing then it is much more likely that he is experiencing Error 53, which has been widely reported. In which case this isn't a matter of personal responsibility as much as it's a bug that Apple didn't mention until it was reported on. Based on his post, he definitely has experience (if he is to be believed). Could it be the OPs negligence? Sure. But there are also other possibilities in this case.

To the OP, if your repairs involve the Touch ID sensor in any way then Error 53 is likely what you're experiencing. And Apple is assisting at resolving that error. I don't believe there to be a fix for it yet but there may be. If not, you'll just want to educate your customers on this error or avoid any repairs that involve the Touch ID sensor.

My response was not unfair. The OP was ill-prepared to properly fix his Customer's iPhone. Period. Just because Apple made changes therein is irrelevant. He, as an iPhone repair person, should have known what to do with his Customer's device. Blaming Apple for his lack of knowledge about his Customer's iPhone is not gonna cut it. He screwed up. Not Apple.

 

[Ledsteplin]

I largely agree with D' here. This issue of error 53 came out last year. It was widely reported in all the tech news and forums. He should already have known about it and prepared accordingly. Yet he had no clue.

 

[pkcable]

My response was not unfair. The OP was ill-prepared to properly fix his Customer's iPhone. Period. Just because Apple made changes therein is irrelevant. He, as an iPhone repair person, should have known what to do with his Customer's device. Blaming Apple for his lack of knowledge about his Customer's iPhone is not gonna cut it. He screwed up. Not Apple.

I largely agree with D' here. This issue of error 53 came out last year. It was widely reported in all the tech news and forums. He should already have known about it and prepared accordingly. Yet he had no clue.

Agree, until he gets the training, DON'T repair devices with the touch sensor!

 

[Quis89]

My response was not unfair. The OP was ill-prepared to properly fix his Customer's iPhone. Period. Just because Apple made changes therein is irrelevant. He, as an iPhone repair person, should have known what to do with his Customer's device. Blaming Apple for his lack of knowledge about his Customer's iPhone is not gonna cut it. He screwed up. Not Apple.

I largely agree with D' here. This issue of error 53 came out last year. It was widely reported in all the tech news and forums. He should already have known about it and prepared accordingly. Yet he had no clue.

Agree, until he gets the training, DON'T repair devices with the touch sensor!

At this point I'd say he should have known about it. I guess I just wouldn't make the guy feel like a dunce over an issue Apple didn't let the masses know about until phones were bricking. There is definitely something to be said about the way Apple handled this particular error. Third party repair technicians across the country experienced this. Not because they were ill-prepared or negligent or ignorant. Because Apple made a change and said nothing about it. That's my point. I agree that by now though, he should have been aware.

 

[Just_Me_D]

At this point I'd say he should have known about it. I guess I just wouldn't make the guy feel like a dunce over an issue Apple didn't let the masses know about until phones were bricking. There is definitely something to be said about the way Apple handled this particular error. Third party repair technicians across the country experienced this. Not because they were ill-prepared or negligent or ignorant. Because Apple made a change and said nothing about it. That's my point. I agree that by now though, he should have been aware.

The OP stated,

"I am trying to figure out how Apple are allowed to render my customers iPhones and iPads useless after I am repairing them..."

That is saying
1. He is receiving iPhones and iPads that are in need of repairing.
2. After allegedly repairing them, they aren't working and it's Apple's fault that they aren't working.

I'd argue that he merely replaced broken parts without fully knowing or understanding how the replacement part fits in with the overall function of the device(s). That is NOT Apple's fault. That's his.