iPhone 14 Pro Iphone 14 Pro/ Pro Max Back Replacement

[hoobury]

Did a search and didn't see this posted anywhere. Sharing my experience as it may be helpful for someone.

Took my wife's iPhone 14 Pro in to get the back glass fixed. One of our kids had dropped it and shattered the back glass. Fortunately, we have AppleCare on her phone. It was in a case but a fairly thin one. This has never happened to us across many, many different iPhone models so I think it was just bad luck that it landed on a weak corner.

Booked the Genius Bar appt. I had been told the repair itself takes about an hour with pickup time depending on how busy they were. Check in and everything else was pretty straightforward with the widely reported repair cost being only $29 with AppleCare.

Here was where things got interesting. Apparently, on the iPhone 14 Pro, all of the electronics are attached to the back panel so when they repair it, they replace everything inside. The only thing you're really getting back from your original phone is the front display. Might explain why the repair costs are $500 without AppleCare.

Why this is important is that you lose all of your information. Including cellular information. It's a new logic board with new IMEI number. I had assumed it was similar to a screen repair so that I'd be in and out in an hour and wouldn't have to do much.

In essence, you're getting a factory restored phone with your original screen. Unclear if the sides are original. Also unclear if we got a new battery. Though that should have been a question for me to ask.

So lesson for everyone is the following.

1. Make sure you have a completely iCloud backup.
2. Make sure you know your iCloud password and any other important passwords so you can log back into apps.
3. Make sure you can get into your cellular account to update to new equipment and/ or be able to reach them to activate or else you'll have no cell phone.
4. Apple Watch did not work while the phone was being repaired so don't count on that. Even though we're on a cellular plan for her Apple Watch, once they wiped her phone, she lost her watch activation as well so I wasn't able to reach her with her Apple Watch.
5. Make sure you have access to a good wifi signal for a few hours to restore and re-activate everything.

The loss of cellular service was probably the biggest surprise in this process.

We don't live that close to an Apple Store so I booked this while we were traveling in SF. Figured the SF store would also have a lot of experience with repairs and would do a good job. I ended up hanging out in the Apple Store for an extra 2 hours getting everything restored. I would not recommend doing this repair while traveling.

There's been a lot of articles about how the iPhone 14 back is much easier to repair. Apparently that is not the case for the Pro.

 

[eyoungren]

It has been my experience over the years that with or without AC+, Apple has always replaced my phone. There is one exception and that was when I got a battery replacement for my 6s+.

But…I know the drill by now. ANYTIME I go to Apple for something with my iPhone I back up my device. I turn off FindMy, log out of iCloud and turn off FaceID/TouchID and all passcodes. Then I restore the device.

When I present the damaged or defective device to the Apple Genius I've done half their job already. They receive a phone that has no passcode, no Apple ID, no personal information, no data on it at all. I'm just not in the habit of hassling with all that stuff during the appointment so I take care of it before.

For some people this would be a problem because they are going to miss messages, calls, etc. I don't care. There's nothing important in my messages and anybody with an important call will call back. Everything else has already been backed up elsewhere before I even made a whole device backup. I do not believe in keeping all my eggs in one (Apple/iCloud) basket.

My mail is IMAP, my contacts and calendars, notes and reminders Google. My photos/videos are Dropbox, Google and iCloud (in that order) and as I mentioned texts and calls don't matter (but those are in the whole device backup I make anyway). I have a physical SIM card (no ESIM). Apps will restore at home over WiFi. Apple's WiFi is usually horrible and I'm not waiting around after I'm done there.

Restoring to a new phone is thus a simple act.

 

[hoobury]

I have a physical SIM card (no ESIM).

All good advice.

Unfortunately, the 14 Pro sold in the US no longer have a physical SIM card slot. Need to have access to your account or customer service to get the service switched over.

In my case, particularly tricky since the account is tied to a business so needed to have access to the business account and all the extra security checks.

Also, to be clear. I have been handed a replacement phone before (refurbished in that case). And have also had screen repairs done. It was just surprising to me that the back replacement was more complicated than the screen.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Good cautionary tale. Any time you have a phone serviced, count on it being totally wiped. “Just the back” or “just the screen” or “just the camera” - doesn’t matter, assume your data is going to be wiped. If it is, you’re prepared. If it isn’t, that’s a bonus.

 

[Htsi]

What you received is a rear system change.
All that’s used from your old phone is the screen & rear camera.
Everything else is new, the Frame/battery et.all

 

[abelbanko]

Created an account just for this thread. Like op said, the imei is different. It was a real hassle to get it fixed. I just had my rear glass replaced, and ATT customer service doesn't even know what I'm trying to ask. I'm currently in a chat being transferred from one manager to another.
Because my esim was still tied to the old imei, the phone kept saying "transfer number from old phone" when I had no "old" phone, just my repaired one. icloud back etc will not fix this issue, it is a matter of esim being tied to hardware/imei.
In the end, the new IMEI was added in the backend, and then support told me to go to a physical store to have get a "new" esim (same number, I don't know how this works)

 

[whoareyouanyway]

Hey I know this thread is old! but I just got an email saying that a "rear replacement" has has been ordered. I had no idea what that was until I found this post. I don't have ACP but phone still under warranty so not going to cost anything.At the moment I am using Samsung Galaxy A5 which is so old I can't even download any of my banking apps etc . Thankfully I have a physical sim so shouldn't be a problem in terms of carrier etc. Question though: I purchased my phone from Vodafone Ireland - I am currently about 10 months in to 24 month contract - device was locked to Vodafone, I assume new unit will no longer be locked to carrier?

Side note: My screen was also recently replaced due to manufacturer defect so by my understanding the only thing left from original Pro Max will be the rear camera... So for anyone British or Irish 'my' phone is essentially Triggers broom.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

. Question though: I purchased my phone from Vodafone Ireland - I am currently about 10 months in to 24 month contract - device was locked to Vodafone, I assume new unit will no longer be locked to carrier?

Apple has something called a “repair chain” where the replacement is cloned from the original, in terms of carrier profile etc. so in other words, if it was locked to Vodafone before the repair, it’ll still be locked after.

 

[ks.might.help]

I wish I had seen this post before I purchased the 14 pro.

 

[ks.might.help]

Did a search and didn't see this posted anywhere. Sharing my experience as it may be helpful for someone.

Took my wife's iPhone 14 Pro in to get the back glass fixed. One of our kids had dropped it and shattered the back glass. Fortunately, we have AppleCare on her phone. It was in a case but a fairly thin one. This has never happened to us across many, many different iPhone models so I think it was just bad luck that it landed on a weak corner.

Booked the Genius Bar appt. I had been told the repair itself takes about an hour with pickup time depending on how busy they were. Check in and everything else was pretty straightforward with the widely reported repair cost being only $29 with AppleCare.

Here was where things got interesting. Apparently, on the iPhone 14 Pro, all of the electronics are attached to the back panel so when they repair it, they replace everything inside. The only thing you're really getting back from your original phone is the front display. Might explain why the repair costs are $500 without AppleCare.

Why this is important is that you lose all of your information. Including cellular information. It's a new logic board with new IMEI number. I had assumed it was similar to a screen repair so that I'd be in and out in an hour and wouldn't have to do much.

In essence, you're getting a factory restored phone with your original screen. Unclear if the sides are original. Also unclear if we got a new battery. Though that should have been a question for me to ask.

So lesson for everyone is the following.

1. Make sure you have a completely iCloud backup.
2. Make sure you know your iCloud password and any other important passwords so you can log back into apps.
3. Make sure you can get into your cellular account to update to new equipment and/ or be able to reach them to activate or else you'll have no cell phone.
4. Apple Watch did not work while the phone was being repaired so don't count on that. Even though we're on a cellular plan for her Apple Watch, once they wiped her phone, she lost her watch activation as well so I wasn't able to reach her with her Apple Watch.
5. Make sure you have access to a good wifi signal for a few hours to restore and re-activate everything.

The loss of cellular service was probably the biggest surprise in this process.

We don't live that close to an Apple Store so I booked this while we were traveling in SF. Figured the SF store would also have a lot of experience with repairs and would do a good job. I ended up hanging out in the Apple Store for an extra 2 hours getting everything restored. I would not recommend doing this repair while traveling.

There's been a lot of articles about how the iPhone 14 back is much easier to repair. Apparently that is not the case for the Pro.

Feel for you!

 

[BugeyeSTI]

Feel for you! The same happened to me. Expensive lesson as I didn't opt for Apple Care. Never needed it in the decades I've had Apple products. The worst part about Apple is the zero care factor. Like the round mouse, this phone is a lemon.

Why are you blaming Apple for accidentally dropping and breaking your phone? The Phones design hasn't changed since the X and it has always been very expensive to replace the rear glass on these devices. Apple changed the design with the regular 14's and now all the 15's including the Pro's can have the rear glass replaced inexpensively. You opted out of Applecare+ and Apple even gives you up to 60 days after purchased the phone to add it. I really don't see Apple being at fault in this situation. On top of you not purchasing Applecare+ because they didn't explain how expensive the rear glass repair would be, you admitted that you still wouldn't of purchased it if they did it explained to you. You gambled and you lost. Just because you've been an Apple customer for decades doesn't mean they should give you a new device when you break it.

 

[ks.might.help]

Small correction on this reply, in Australia you have 30 days from purchase to add Apple Care +

 

[DaveS86]

How is it a lemon? You dropped it, you broke it. That’s like crashing your car in to a wall because you didn’t look and saying the car is a lemon

 

[Lee_Bo]

Interesting thread.

In the time I’ve had my 14PM (and every other device prior), I’ve dropped, tossed, occasionally threw my device with zero issues.

I guess I have that “one in a million” device that works properly and and was assembled correctly from Apple.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

Small correction on this reply, in Australia you have 30 days from purchase to add Apple Care +, but as I said, based on past experience (not ever breaking a phone or any other device) I probably wouldn't have spent the $200 and if I think about it for all the devices I've purchase without it and without needing it over time I've saved so much money it easily pays for the repair of my iPhone 14 pro. Not that I will repair it because it will only break again, it's a lemon.

I don't understand your conclusion that the phone was a "lemon" because it broke from being dropped. It is made mostly of glass and glass breaks if dropped.. Your iPhone X was built exactly the same way and if dropped could have broken, it just didn't turn out that way. Whether or not a phone breaks when dropped isn't predictable. If you drop a glass, most would assume it will break but believe it or not sometimes it doesn't. You could drop a phone the same way 10 times and it could break on the first try or the last, maybe it won't break at all. I know people who have dropped newer iPhones without a case and it survives where as another phone broke using a case. As you said you have saved enough money from not purchasing Applecare+ to absorb this incident but, you also have to figure in the resale/trade-in value that is most assuredly lowered considerably due to the damage..

 

[ks.might.help]

 

[ks.might.help]

I love Apple.

 

[Clamjuice65]

I love Apple.

But do Apple love you ? Hmmmmm