Each time, the public reaction was hostile and Apple walked them all back saying it was a bug on all three occasions. Historically, Apple has caused third party repair blocking issues for Touch ID, iPhone batteries and cameras. The company already charges $600 for out of warranty glass replacement on an iPhone 11 Pro Max, effectively forcing its owners to pay for AppleCare+ insurance ($200pa). Second, without competition Apple is free to set whatever prices it wants. First, the move eliminates choice so those without an Apple store nearby will have fewer options. Right to Repair activisits, however, are likely to see the U-turn as further evidence that formal legistation is required because I suspect it is only a matter of time before this happens again.Īnd iPhone 13 owners should care about this, even if you only ever get your devices repaired by Apple.

This is the fourth time Apple has walked back repair blocking issues in recent years, though this time it stopped short of claiming the current issue is a bug.

A workaround was found using microsoldering, but it requires specialized equipment and was unfeasibly time consuming for most repairers.Īpple's decision to walk back this change is a win for consumers as it means greater choice and competition when looking for a screen repair. AST2 is prohibitably expensive for many smaller repair shops. This was a consequence of a microcontroller Apple fitted into the bottom of iPhone 13 displays which had to be paired with the display, something that was impossible to do without ‘Apple Services Toolkit 2’ (AST2), used by official repair partners. In a statement to The Verge, the company has said it will no longer stop Face ID from functioning when iPhone 13 displays are replaced by independent repair shops. 11/10 Update: Apple has performed a dramatic U-turn.

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