Philip Houska Apple world in recent days the "Error 53" case is moving. It turns out that if users get an iPhone with Touch ID repaired at an unauthorized repair shop and have their Home button changed, the device freezes completely after updating to the latest version of iOS 9. Hundreds of users around the world are reporting the problem of non-functioning iPhones due to the replacement of some components. Server iFixit moreover, he now found out that Error 53 does not only apply to unofficial parts.
Error 53 is an error that can be reported by an iOS device with Touch ID, and it occurs in a situation where the user has the Home button, Touch ID module or the cable connecting these components replaced by an unauthorized service, a so-called third party. After the repair, the device works fine, but as soon as the user updates to the latest version of iOS 9, the product detects non-genuine components and locks the device immediately. So far, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus incidents have mainly been reported, but it is not certain whether the latest 6S and 6S Plus models are also affected by the problem.
Apple Story was initially not informed of this matter and users whose iPhones were blocked by Error 53 were replaced straight away. However, the technicians have already been informed and are refusing to accept such damaged products and are redirecting customers directly to the purchase of a new phone. Which, of course, is unacceptable for many of them.
"If your iOS device has a Touch ID sensor, during updates and refreshes, iOS checks whether the sensor matches other components of the device. This check fully secures your device and iOS features with the Touch ID security system," Apple comments on the situation. So if you change the Home button or, for example, the connection cable to another one, iOS will recognize this and block the phone.
According to Apple, this is in order to maintain maximum data security on each device. “We protect fingerprint data with unique security that is uniquely paired with the Touch ID sensor. If the sensor is repaired by an authorized Apple service provider or retailer, the pairing of the components can be restored," Apple explains the Error 53 case. It is the possibility of re-pairing the components that is absolutely key in the case.
If the components connected to Touch ID (Home button, cables, etc.) were not connected to each other, the fingerprint sensor could be replaced, for example, by a fraudulent component that could break the iPhone's security. So now, when iOS recognizes that the components don't match, it blocks everything, including Touch ID and Apple Pay.
The trick when replacing the mentioned components is that Apple's authorized services have a tool available to re-pair the newly installed parts with the rest of the phone. However, once a third party that does not have Apple's blessing does the replacement, they can put a genuine and working part into the iPhone, but the device still freezes after a software update.
It is to this detail that it is far from being a problem with non-original third-party parts, they came recognized technicians from iFixit. In short, Error 53 occurs whenever you replace the Touch ID or Home button, but you no longer pair them. It doesn't matter if it's a non-genuine part or an official OEM component that you might have removed from, say, a second iPhone.
If you now need to replace the Home button or Touch ID on your iPhone, you cannot automatically take it to the nearest service center. You need to use the services of an authorized Apple service center, where after replacing the parts, they can synchronize these parts with each other again. If you don't have such a service in your area, we recommend not replacing the Home button and Touch ID at this time, or not updating the operating system with other parts that have already been replaced.
It is not yet clear how Apple will deal with the whole situation, but it is extremely annoying that for the replacement of even a single component, the entire iPhone will be blocked, which suddenly becomes unusable. Touch ID is not the only security feature that iOS offers. In addition to it, each user also has a protective lock set, which the device always requires (if it is set that way) when the user turns it on or when they are setting up Touch ID.
Therefore, it would make more sense if Apple blocked only Touch ID (and associated services such as Apple Pay) in the event of recognition of non-original or at least unpaired parts and left the rest functional. The iPhone continues to be protected by the aforementioned protective lock.
Apple hasn't come up with any solution to Error 53 yet, but it would make sense to get your iPhone back up and running if you can prove it's yours by unlocking it with a passcode, for example.
Have you encountered Error 53? Share your experience in the comments or write to us.
I'm mainly interested in whether this also applies to the 5S - I didn't read that on any server. Another thing is that my cable from the home button is broken, so it is not connected to the board (control is done using Assistive Touch) and if I update and the phone throws 53 as Apple approaches it - I have the original HB, but it is not working. I guess we'll see.
Error 53 does not apply to the iPhone 5S – http://vsesezeneme.cz/news/62/novinka-velike-halo-ohledne-chyby-itunes-53-co-je-a-neni-pravda
I understand security things, I don't really understand why unauthorized repairs are done, it generally seems like a very big risk that it will turn into a brick ;-).
Well, it happened to me with a brand new 6Plus bought at Alga. In the original packaging, it didn't look like someone else's return and the same thing happened to me. So in practice it will be quite difficult to prove that the phone is "original" and not repaired somewhere at Franta's service center.
mainly it's BS and it forces people to take things to apple service, which is a must
if they thought it was important for people, give iOS the option to turn off this security in the settings
the same way, if someone takes your phone, you can delete it remotely, and then it's probably better if the person continues to use it and you have a chance to track it somehow, than if someone simply throws it in the trash or takes it apart and tries to extract the data from disk :)
We also have a 5S at home where the home button does not work and the only thing left is to use Assistive Touch which is a nice trick. We were told in every unauthorized service that Touch ID will not work after the replacement. So we haven't exchanged yet...and now this. The phone is no longer under warranty. Can I have such a phone repaired at an authorized service center? And how much would this replacement cost? This is about the third time in my iPhone's history that Home has left, and this kind of approach really bothers me. What am I to blame for the fact that it's a crappy component and its error rate hasn't improved even in new generations... on the contrary, thanks to Touch ID, it's even more of a mess.
We, on the other hand, have already had a 5S for the second year and a 5 for the third, and I absolutely do not understand why people complain about it. We haven't had any problems with it so far... on the other hand, I know two people who changed the home button on older iPhones after maybe half a year. Then, of course, there is the question of whether it is more with the hands.
I also remember my first iPhone 3GS, where maybe after 4 years the home button worked, albeit worse and sometimes you had to press it, but it worked
We have 2x 6 and 2x 4S at home, 4S, which have been running for more than 4 years and have been used by children for the last more than a year, they have a lot of scratches, but the HB has not gone away on any of our pieces yet...
So I don't have to worry about connecting the iPhone 5s to iTunes to upload files?