Apple: iPhones Are Too “Complex” to Let You Fix Them

[Megalith]

Apple's top environmental officer says that the company’s devices are designed for durability, but if repairs are required, authorized shops are advised due to complexity. She suggests that these locations are readily accessible, but that isn’t necessarily true, especially in rural areas. Worse, many of these places are not allowed to do certain repairs.

If you live in, say, Valentine, Nebraska and want your phone repaired by an "authorized" Apple store or partner and you want same-day service (i.e., you don't want to stay overnight in a hotel while someone fixes your cracked phone screen), you need to travel to Omaha, 250 miles away. This is not an "accessible" repair. Apple Stores and Apple authorized service centers are also not capable or, in the case of authorized stores, allowed to fix many problems one is likely to encounter on their phone or iPad.

 

[auntjemima]

I haven't tried repairing a new iPhone, but of all the 3g/3gs and 4's I did repair, as well as iPads, I don't think they are that difficult. Anyone who has the proper screwdrivers and can watch a YouTube video can replace defective parts on their device, unless soldering is required.

 

[MavericK]

I watched a video of a dude in China who built a working one out of parts alone.

So, no.

 

[TrevorR]

I haven't tried repairing a new iPhone, but of all the 3g/3gs and 4's I did repair, as well as iPads, I don't think they are that difficult. Anyone who has the proper screwdrivers and can watch a YouTube video can replace defective parts on their device, unless soldering is required.

There are certainly people who are capable of repairing them but the majority of iphone users have no idea how hardware works.

 

[auntjemima]

I watched a video of a dude in China who built a working one out of parts alone.

So, no.

I remember hearing about that video quite a few times here so I went and watched it. Mind you I did so AFTER seeing the video where he added a headphone jack to his iPhone 7...

What he did is entirely possible just from eBay. It's usually slightly more expensive, but it's very doable and I was pretty surprised to see so much praise for something so basic.

 

[auntjemima]

There are certainly people who are capable of repairing them but the majority of iphone users have no idea how hardware works.

Watch video, follow steps. You don't need to know how it works.

 

[DF-1]

Apple tells users 'you're too stupid'

water is wet

at 11.

 

[gigaxtreme1]

Great. Is that the new marketing ploy for mindless Iphone sheep? Lemmings.

 

[Twisted Kidney]

Well yeah it's too complicated. It's from Apple. Your pathetic, human brains could never comprehend this glory.

To look upon such craft is to look upon the face of the almighty himself, any mortal who witnesses the glory of Apple is smote until dead by awe.

 

[westrock2000]

And now for a brief word from our sponsor, Obvious Observation:

Most people are not familiar with handling small parts and connectors. Are not familiar with over torquing or stripping fasteners. Do not understand how ribbon cables work. Do not have the appropriate tools or work area. Thus there is a high likely hood of things not working upon re-assembly. As with many complicated machines, it is much safer to pay a qualified person to do work on a delicate instrument.

We now continue with our regularly scheduled [H]ate

 

[TrevorR]

Watch video, follow steps. You don't need to know how it works.

There are videos on youtube on how to give vasectomies probably but no ones going to try and do it.

Computer hardware or cell phone hardware consists of many different parts. The average person will take apart an iphone and probably misplace the screws. Some people don't have time to do it themselves nor have the manual dexterity. My 76 year old grandmother has an iphone and she barely knows how to make a facetime call. But I'll just tell her to look at self help videos on youtube.

My macbook has 3 years of applecare warranty and my iphone has Applecare as well, if it breaks, I'm not going to fix it myself, I'll let Apple deal with it.

 

[nutzo]

I always laugh at the "no user serviceable components inside" labels, since it depends on the user

That being said, most people would be incapable of adding memory to a desktop, let alone opening up a phone or tablet.

 

[Twisted Kidney]

And now for a brief word from our sponsor, Obvious Observation:

Most people are not familiar with handling small parts and connectors. Are not familiar with over torquing or stripping fasteners. Do not understand how ribbon cables work. Do not have the appropriate tools or work area. Thus there is a high likely hood of things not working upon re-assembly. As with many complicated machines, it is much safer to pay a qualified person to do work on a delicate instrument.

We now continue with our regularly scheduled [H]ate

Yeah, no. They lock it up tighter than a drum to prevent so much as a battery change because they want complete control of (and the cash from) the service market. Period. Other companies do the same, but Apple employs a more arrogant approach to dealing with the peons. They also know that the VAST majority of their customers wouldn't even think of opening up their phones and tablets. This is aimed at preventing people from going to capable technicians that aren't "Apple technicians". Even better if you can't access those technicians because there aren't very many and you may live a very long way from one, then you need a new bobble.

Oh but selling new bobbles is super good for Apple.

 

[steakman1971]

I know this is a bash Apple thread, but I have several things at my house that would be hard to repair (although they are mine and I should have a right to try - not arguing that point).
For instance, I have a Dell 4K monitor on my desk that cycles colors but doesn't show a video feed. Can I really fix it? I guess I could try to determine what is defective and either order a replacement part from some Dell repair shop (maybe?) or get lucky and find a capacitor or something I could replace. However, odds are I won't be able to fix it and it will go in the trash soon. I also have a Kindle in my box of computer crap that is dead - I guess I could try to fix it. (I really need to go through my box and clean it out - I think I still have a serial cable w/null modem adapter, and a parallel printer cable int it).

 

[cyberguyz]

I watched a video of a dude in China who built a working one out of parts alone.

So, no.

Yeah I remember seeing that video. I would say for the average rank and file to take it to somebody that knows what they are doing. If you know what you are doing, then have at it - at your own risk.
This is the main reason I haven't moved off my Samsung Galaxy S5 and probably never will. Simple things like upgrading memory or swapping batteries can be done by anybody... Some thing that Samsung has lost sight of in its premier tier of phones (though they did add back the memory card). Batteries is the #1 wear item on a phone and I for one am not interested in paying some douche a buttload of money to replace the battery when I can get replacement batteries for about $20 (CA$) off amazon for my GS5 and carry spares around with me when I forsee needing a recharge in the middle of nowhere and no chargers around.

 

[Krenum]

Nothing a good ole Ball Peen Hammer can't fix, right?

 

[auntjemima]

Well yeah it's too complicated. It's from Apple. Your pathetic, human brains could never comprehend this glory.

To look upon such craft is to look upon the face of the almighty himself, any mortal who witnesses the glory of Apple is smote until dead by awe.

After years of iPhone and Android phone repairs I'll have to say that I dreaded getting an Android phone or tablet to repair. The parts were expensive and the work was always harder to accomplish. iPhones are by far the easier phone to repair.

 

[bbqrooster]

There are videos on youtube on how to give vasectomies probably but no ones going to try and do it.

Oh great, now operating on an iPhone is the same as operating on a human being. If you screw up during the iPhone operation, the phone will sue you for mega bucks.

 

[Deleted member 245375]

I watched a video of a dude in China who built a working one out of parts alone.

So, no.

And then he decided "Hey, now that I built an iPhone, I want my headphone jack back..." and so he put one in himself which was no simple task and took him quite some time (because he travels and does other things, of course) but he DID do it and he DOES have the only iPhone 7 in the world with a functional 1/8" aka 3.5mm headphone jack in it.

 

[westrock2000]

Yeah, no. They lock it up tighter than a drum to prevent so much as a battery change because they want complete control of (and the cash from) the service market. Period.

This is describing the as yet released iPhones or includes previous iPhones?

 

[Twisted Kidney]

This is describing the as yet released iPhones or includes previous iPhones?

Well it couldn't include all of them, there was a time when the iPhone was quite serviceable (still is really, so long as you don't mind them shutting you down suddenly). Apple got greedy.

Don't get me wrong here, I don't hate iPhones. If I could change the battery and put a memory card in one I would have one right now.

Well, in truth, if those dirty bastards at Bell hadn't killed the network, I'd still have my flip phone.

 

[Trimlock]

Yeah, no. They lock it up tighter than a drum to prevent so much as a battery change because they want complete control of (and the cash from) the service market. Period. Other companies do the same, but Apple employs a more arrogant approach to dealing with the peons.

Yea, its to maintain control. Definitely NOT to maintain device rigidity, water resistance or dust resistance.

All the other IP67 phones are only water/dust tight, not Apple tight.

 

[TrevorR]

Oh great, now operating on an iPhone is the same as operating on a human being. If you screw up during the iPhone operation, the phone will sue you for mega bucks.

I've done hundreds of vasectomies, never been sued. But then again, malpractice doesn't exist in the military.

I've attempted a repair on an out of warranty iphone 5 that I had a while back, much smaller parts, complicated too.

 

[OutOfPhase]

I would do no different in their position, and in my case it would have nothing to do with Evil Control.

The overwhelming majority of people really should not be opening up any delicate machine and doing something with it. A toaster. A cassette player. A water pump.

Extend that to a $1k computer with incredibly tiny and delicate solder points - holy frack no I wouldn't honor a warranty with Dipshit Joe poking around in there.

You are free to do differently in your phone company. That's how I'm running mine.

 

[Uvaman2]

Well it couldn't include all of them, there was a time when the iPhone was quite serviceable (still is really, so long as you don't mind them shutting you down suddenly). Apple got greedy.

Don't get me wrong here, I don't hate iPhones. If I could change the battery and put a memory card in one I would have one right now.

Well, in truth, if those dirty bastards at Bell hadn't killed the network, I'd still have my flip phone.

Of course they got greedy. And will get greedier and greedier... They can afford that now, no need to do extra nicer things like semi serviceable phones or allowing 3rd party repairs at all, ir giving better warranty than anyone else either... Year warranty, you can't repair it after and you will love it... Same as everyone else greedy ass.

 

[Maxx]

Watch video, follow steps. You don't need to know how it works.

Ah yes, the Chinese room argument.

 

[ewb302]

Yawn. It's a device designed and made by humans. As a manufacturer, they don't want people working on them. Most average idiots do more harm than good. But, a tech savvy person can be smarter than the machine and potentially work on it. That's just not the majority of owners.

 

[auntjemima]

Ah yes, the Chinese room argument.

I had no idea what that was. So thank you for teaching me something!

 

[katanaD]

>If you live in, say, Valentine, Nebraska

ok, first off.. if you live there in a town of Population: 2,803 (2016) , getting same day service of your phone is the least of your issues. as it is, you probably have to drive like 30 minutes even to get to said town, as when you get that rural, most people live outside of the town. also, in places like that the livestock far outnumber the people

if you live in such places, and there are good reasons to i know i have lived in such, you cannot expect city level services to exist there.

 

[Maxx]

I had no idea what that was. So thank you for teaching me something!

Very welcome! I thought the comparison was pretty apt.

 

[Deleted member 243478]

Yeah, no. They lock it up tighter than a drum to prevent so much as a battery change because they want complete control of (and the cash from) the service market. Period. Other companies do the same, but Apple employs a more arrogant approach to dealing with the peons. They also know that the VAST majority of their customers wouldn't even think of opening up their phones and tablets. This is aimed at preventing people from going to capable technicians that aren't "Apple technicians". Even better if you can't access those technicians because there aren't very many and you may live a very long way from one, then you need a new bobble.

Oh but selling new bobbles is super good for Apple.

Actually the battery comes out easily with 4 adhesive pull tabs and the screen is a simple affair made slightly harder because of all the moaners who wanted water resistance so they can wank in the bath tub.

 

[Reimu]

Granted, any kind of repair essentially destroys the water resistance that only the magic of glue ahoy can bring to the table. I find it sad that Apple and leading Android manufacturers have chosen the glue path to making water resistant phones. Hell, I think that water resistance has become the justification on sealing the phones with glue.

My question is how on earth are we meeting environmental directives by making the battery a sealed and non serviceable component to these phones?

 

[Ur_Mom]

What he did is entirely possible just from eBay. It's usually slightly more expensive, but it's very doable and I was pretty surprised to see so much praise for something so basic.

Better than what most people could do.

Watch video, follow steps. You don't need to know how it works.

You give people too much credit. Do you work in IT? Those people you help out are the people that can't even follow an on-screen prompt with simple instructions. Or "Press Restart to Restart". Ok. Click. Why is my computer restarting?! This is BS. I was in the middle of something!

They don't need to know how it works, but following simple instructions is also pretty impossible for many of them.

The iPhone is pretty complex for repairs. While I'd trust the people on [H] to be slightly above average when it comes to tech stuff, and be able to use tools and follow instructions, most others (even if they are good with tools) might have issues following some instructions. That, or they wouldn't feel confident to do the work. If there is ever an "I don't know" from them, they quit. We'll do it and see if it works.

 

[Deleted member 243478]

Granted, any kind of repair essentially destroys the water resistance that only the magic of glue ahoy can bring to the table. I find it sad that Apple and leading Android manufacturers have chosen the glue path to making water resistant phones. Hell, I think that water resistance has become the justification on sealing the phones with glue.

My question is how on earth are we meeting environmental directives by making the battery a sealed and non serviceable component to these phones?

Ummm all companies do it and Samsung started it... o rings are not viable for phones as they require even compression around the entire frame.

30sec with a hot air gun gets the adhesive to let go and new screens come with new adhesive or you can get a new adhesive kit.

Batteries are serviceable by removing the screen only.

But hey... apple hate yo

 

[Reimu]

Ummm all companies do it and Samsung started it... o rings are not viable for phones as they require even compression around the entire frame.

30sec with a hot air gun gets the adhesive to let go and new screens come with new adhesive or you can get a new adhesive kit.

Batteries are serviceable by removing the screen only.

But hey... apple hate yo

The whole thing with sealing battery in is across the board, although I remember Sharp and Sony being the first ones to be really big on water resistant lifestyle phones.
I am not nearly so sanguine as you when it comes to adhesive kit DIY keeping the phone at IP67/68, because average Joes may not scrape off the old glue before applying new adhesive. It makes an argument to buy Applecare actually.

 

[Dekoth-E-]

While it is certainly true that most users do not have the skillset to do this. The whole "Authorized repair center" thing is a load of rubbish. I'm not an ARC by any stretch and I have zero issue taking apart and fixing any phone. iPhones have yet to present a challenge beyond "Fuck you we glued everything".

 

[auntjemima]

Better than what most people could do.



You give people too much credit. Do you work in IT? Those people you help out are the people that can't even follow an on-screen prompt with simple instructions. Or "Press Restart to Restart". Ok. Click. Why is my computer restarting?! This is BS. I was in the middle of something!

They don't need to know how it works, but following simple instructions is also pretty impossible for many of them.

The iPhone is pretty complex for repairs. While I'd trust the people on [H] to be slightly above average when it comes to tech stuff, and be able to use tools and follow instructions, most others (even if they are good with tools) might have issues following some instructions. That, or they wouldn't feel confident to do the work. If there is ever an "I don't know" from them, they quit. We'll do it and see if it works.

I am well versed in computers, however I was a mechanic and now I am in optronics.

 

[Reimu]

We can't hold everyone to the [H] average, that's just not practical. Having said that, I agree with Louis Rossmann when it comes to that whole unfriendliness in repair of iPhones and the Macbooks.

 

[Deleted member 243478]

While it is certainly true that most users do not have the skillset to do this. The whole "Authorized repair center" thing is a load of rubbish. I'm not an ARC by any stretch and I have zero issue taking apart and fixing any phone. iPhones have yet to present a challenge beyond "Fuck you we glued everything".

All they are doing is covering their ass ffs. Because there will always be some fat american who will go to some dodgy 3rd party and either break the device or skim information with a counterfeit touchID sensor then sue Apple because they didnt warn them.

 

[spugm1r3]

Its great how "built for durability" now means it will last at least one year...