Replacing Touch ID can kill iPhone

iFixit project specialists draw public attention to a problem that has affected tens of thousands of iPhone smartphones. It turned out that the phone can become inoperable after a poor-quality repair if it involves replacing the Touch ID scanner (the sensor is built into the Home button) or the cable that connects it to the main board. The problem is called "Error 53" - this is exactly the error that the smartphone gives. But it is not about apps, pdf scanner ocr works correctly.

After the release of iOS 14, many iPhone owners who previously did repairs in unofficial workshops discovered after updating the firmware that the smartphone was inoperable and all data was lost. A similar problem was faced by users who, before installing the update, damaged the smartphone, but did not repair it, since the cracked screen did not affect functionality.

In this case, when contacting the official service center, specialists cannot do anything, stating only that the phone has turned into a “brick”. Searching the Internet for the error number shows that the problem is widespread.

The experts noted that after updating the software platform, iOS initiates a series of checks to make sure that the device uses original components. If the tests fail, the smartphone is blocked. No warnings are shown, and there is no way to bring the device back to life yet.

iFixit experts believe that with this step, Apple is trying to limit access to the device to unofficial service centers that repair Apple equipment. While locking the device could well have been avoided by simply allowing users to recalibrate their iPhone after repair, Apple doesn't take that step. iFixit believes that only a large-scale scandal can change the situation, which is quite likely in the near future.

Official comments have already been received: Apple assured that in this way they care about the safety of users. It turned out that the developer uses the Secure Enclave architecture - it makes up a unique pair with the Touch ID sensor. In the official service center, when replacing this component, the pair goes through a new validation procedure. Without such verification, Touch ID can be easily replaced with a malicious one, which will allow attackers to gain access to the Secure Enclave component.

Get more:

The ultimate Mac DIY repair guide: Get powered on and starting up

Why is autocorrect on the iPhone still so terrible?