Philip Houska The apple world has a new case. Internet forums are full of discussions about the so-called "Error 53", a problem that can turn an iPhone into a practically useless piece of iron. All you have to do is get the part replaced with an unauthorized one and the iPhone will stop working. Hundreds of users are already solving this problem.
An unpleasant issue in the form of Error 53 occurs when the iPhone is repaired by a third party, i.e. by a company or individual that is not officially qualified by Apple for similar repairs. Everything concerns the so-called Home Button, on which Touch ID is located (in all iPhones from the 5S model)
If the user entrusts his iPhone to an unauthorized service and wants to replace the Home Button after that, it may happen that when he picks up the phone and turns it on, it becomes unusable. If the latest iOS 9 is installed on the iPhone, the phone will recognize that an unauthorized component is installed, namely another Touch ID, and will report Error 53.
Error 53 in this case means the inability to use the iPhone, including the loss of all stored data. According to technology experts, Apple is aware of this problem but did not warn users.
“We take the security of all users very seriously and Error 53 is just a result of how we protect our customers. iOS checks that the Touch ID sensor on iPhones and iPads is working properly with other components. If it finds a mismatch, Touch ID (including the use of Apple Pay) will be disabled. This security situation is necessary to protect users' devices and thus prevent the installation of fraudulent sensors. If a customer encounters the Error 53 issue, we recommend that they contact Apple Support,” she explained pros iMore Apple spokesperson.
Freelance photographer Antonio Olmos, for example, experienced an unpleasant problem firsthand. “Last September I was in the Balkans for the refugee crisis and I accidentally dropped my phone. I was in desperate need of a repair for my display and Home Button, but there was no Apple Store in Macedonia, so I put the phone in the hands of the people at a local shop that specializes in repairs.
“They fixed it for me and everything worked flawlessly,” Olmos recalls, adding that once he was alerted via notifications that the new iOS 9 was available, he immediately updated. But that morning, his iPhone reported Error 53 and became inoperable.
After visiting an Apple Store in London, he was told by staff that his iPhone was irreversibly damaged and simply "useless". Olmos himself stated that this is a problem that the company should officially disclose and warn all users about.
In addition, Olmos is far from the only user who has had problems with a replacement at an unauthorized service. There are posts from hundreds of owners who have encountered Error 53 on internet forums. It is now up to Apple to deal with the whole matter in some way, and possibly at least start spreading awareness so that people do not have their Touch ID changed at unauthorized services.
However, it would perhaps be more logical if, instead of deactivating the entire phone after such a replacement of the Home button with Touch ID, only Touch ID itself and, for example, the associated Apple Pay, were turned off. The iPhone could thus continue to function, but it would no longer be able to use the fingerprint reader for security reasons. The customer is not always close to an authorized service center, such as the above-mentioned photographer, so if he wants to repair the iPhone quickly, he has to thank a third party as well.
That's bullshit, it was clearly stated by Apple, I think when the phone was launched, that Touch ID is non-replaceable... The fact that some idiot repairman without thinking replaces it with a part bought from China is probably not entirely Apple's problem.
This is exactly what came to mind when I read the article...
A little off topic, you can't switch to full page view here, I hate the mobile version.
I absolutely agree.
I know at least 1 authorized service center in the Czech Republic that would do it that way and preferably put a Chinese scoundrel there...
let it go :) just because you got pissed off many years ago doesn't mean I'm not doing my job. I think the article is spot on. If my home button broke, Apple should say: be careful. the new home button from an unauthorized service has no levers to pair it with the board for security reasons and touchID will not work. but only code. it will struggle to do what it has to do, but the fingerprint won't match it. the fact that unauthorized repairers of the touch id home button say that is not Apple's business, it's just their choice. but apple should say this RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING, that it is tied up and for security reasons, every reasonable Apple user would like to welcome it. Have enough information
Many years ago... I don't know if he talked to Eda, but the last time I discussed with him was a year and a half ago that he should send the stretcher to the service center, that they poured water into it at the service center and let me find out at home, because I would have to test it in the service center for at least half an hour for it to show... Unfortunately, I remember that day very fondly, I was supposed to hand over the results of the system analysis that day, i.e. go through all the logs, including that day and send them a document with recommendations and I was dealing with the couch instead…
I admit, it was an individual's failure and after a lot of nerves they were cool with it, but I didn't mean this service, I meant different.
I complained about several things with the phone, everything was replaced fine, everything was fine, until the power button on the IP5 went flat before last Christmas and since there was a "recall" and the phone was valid for replacement, I didn't deal with the fact that I was out of warranty. What a beautiful discovery when I received a statement from the service that I am not valid for the exchange, because the service there ordered me a Chinese component as part of the warranty (without anyone telling me anything or giving me a choice), so unfortunately bad luck. It took about 3 months, in the end I got a new phone from them... Honestly, if you look up the service on the Internet, you will find out that people don't have good experiences with it... So far I was only in the mood to solve things for myself, but I've already changed my mind, how to make him lose his license, because this really doesn't…
I'm not criticizing the article, it's good and people who didn't know it learned something, I'm just giving full credit to my experience with complaints and services in general...
That's right, touch id is tied to the board and that's for security, and that's been known since the beginning, it's not new, like you're making it out to be here now. Touch id doesn't just go away by itself, it often happens after the intervention of an unofficial service. However, if someone's touch id goes off by itself, they still have to replace the board at an authorized service center, which will certainly be the same price as replacing it with another piece (up to 10 thousand). So they end up the same. The article is completely useless, it's the same on other websites, everyone here copies everything from each other, even if probably none of you know anything about Apple, that's clear after this article.
The question is whether the "official" Apple service in the Czech Republic will do it, I would say that because of the price, they will only replace the Touch ID, and I feel sorry for the owners who will then deal with it...
The new look of the website is really terrible :( what's with everyone all of a sudden with those pictures on the articles (I'm referring to the Zive change)? They're mostly just for illustration anyway… the old look was much better…
I don't have problems with the fact that the new look bothers me (I'm interested in information), but the fact that half of the images don't appear and scrolling on the page is so awkward :-) I probably won't use Safari :-)
Still better than superrapple.cz, it's been around for a while now :()
Considering that you and Beneš once told me that I shouldn't do graphics, I don't really get involved in evaluating the design of websites... So I don't mind the new Root.cz or jablickar.cz or superapple.cz, although I admit that when I I logged in here for the first time, so I thought about whether adblock was playing tricks on me again, like recently with Google :-)
the new design is really cool. Many people think that, but few write it, I'd rather go elsewhere
Lol, so an official Touch ID repair from an unnamed Apple Certified Service in the Czech Republic will mean the same thing, the last time I dealt with a complaint through Vodafone they got me unofficial parts, because of which they didn't recognize the repair of the power button (iP5 had a bad button), justification? Unofficial parts... Unfortunately, I was not informed anywhere about what they give me there...
It took half a year, but I got a new phone, but the nerves and I'd rather not think about where the phone came from, I don't think it was a bug...
yes, a DJ is a DJ :)
What did you expect :-)
hi, you can see that you understand it. That's why I'm asking you for some advice. I have an IP 6, unfortunately it fell off 3 months ago, I had the board replaced and the controller replaced. It was working normally but then I put an update and the phone crashed. What with this? can only the controller be replaced? How much will it cost? Now at an authorized Apple dealer. Thanks for the reply.
I'm afraid I'll disappoint you. Unfortunately, I only understand it from the user's point of view, if I understood it the way you think, I don't have the experience I'm describing here and I don't react at all anymore and just smile at the article...
Personally, I would solve it by making an agreement with either Czech Service or Macwell. Anyway, when I look at Macwell's price list, it says only the home button, not TouchID, and I doubt that the price will include the board, but I would try to ask. In the Czech Service, they prefer not to write anything. On the other hand, I assume that you are from Prague.
Otherwise, if you are looking for it, beware of VSP Data. On Alza.cz it is listed in "services for complaints", but the last call to the Apple line (about 3/4 of a year ago) where they told me that VSP Data is not an official service. And of course on Britex, it's already such an evergreen, it's a service that Apples and Droids curse... And my worst experiences are with it.
It also occurs to me that there was a service in Prague that was even "promoted" by Petr Mára (he mentioned it maybe once or twice), but I am not able to find it now (I wanted to try it during the next repair, but it has probably stopped working).
The article is certainly on point, I am a "user" and this would not have occurred to me and I do not know about it. Another problem is that more information is missing. I read other articles where they also mentioned replacing the display - of course the bubble will inflate and I, as a "user", want to know the relevant information. So does it only apply to Touch ID or the display as well? Cili, does this also apply to older models without Touch ID and other components? The service should now point this out, but – 1; should and 2; what about phones that were serviced before iOS9?
And finally – is the data loss permanent (I don't understand the reason) or does the phone work normally after installing the original components?
I'm a happy iPhone "user" and I laugh at all the haters, but I don't like this from Apple anymore. And excuse the nonsense like, if you have an iPhone, you also have to go to an authorized service :D
I would like to ask if anyone knows what to do with touch... I had my iPhone in a repair shop when a month ago the touch was malfunctioning, other applications opened than I wanted or it said nonsense. I picked up the iPhone a few days ago, it worked fine for me, but now it's a bit less crazy, but it's not the best... I'm thinking of factory setting my phone, but I'd prefer someone who understands it a bit to advise me.