Posted on November 8, 2021, 11:52 AM
Apple’s new iPhone 13 lineup might pack a lot of new features, but they now have a major restriction that makes it much more difficult for independent repair shops to replace broken screens. If you try to swap out the screen, Face ID just won’t work – that is, unless you know how to microsolder and can successfully move a tiny microcontroller from it. original screen to a new one, as detailed in an iFixit article.
This change makes a very common replacement much more difficult for independent repair shops who can rely on screen repairs as an important part of their business. Apple Authorized Workshops apparently don’t have this problem, as they have access to software that “can make an iPhone 13 accept a new screen with just a few clicks,” according to iFixit. But many independent workshops are not part of Apple’s official independent repairer program, the conditions of which are said to be intrusive, forcing them to try and find a way to fix iPhone screens on their own.
If you want to see how complex microcontroller switching is, check out this video from iCorrect. Repair is a multi-step process that appears to be time consuming and requires special equipment. And it is almost certainly impossible for most iPhone owners to try it out for themselves.
Apple has kept people away from repairs done by independent shops by issuing ominous warnings after battery and screen replacement on some iPhones. But the situation with Face ID crashing on an iPhone 13 means that people who want their screen fixed don’t have a lot of great options.
An authorized repair can be expensive, as can paying AppleCare Plus for reduced prices on screen repairs. But when the alternatives are finding an independent store that can do the tricky microcontroller swap, replacing the screen but sacrificing Face ID, or living with a broken screen, paying for an authorized repair may seem like the best option. , even if it’s the worst for your wallet.
