Users Facing 'Error 53' Bricking Message After Third-Party iPhone 6 Home Button Repairs

[Black Belt]

Hahah... Pictures of Hollywood stars looking really good. Oh, malware from app stores are well forgotten by Apple fans.

On other hand, our Android users gets monthly security updates.

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt. Android has a serious breach every week!

 

[LovingTeddy]

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt. Android has a serious breach every week!

Yet, millions of Android users are still fine. And jailbreaks are using security holes to liberate iOS users from walled garden... Pretty sad, isn't it..

 

[Black Belt]

Are you listening to yourself? That's ridiculous.
Apple offered them the software knowing full well of what it does to a phone with a 3rd party part, and they aren't warning anyone. This needs to be stated upfront before folks update their OS.
So yes, it most certainly is Apple's fault.
People have commented in here, "that's why I buy Apple...always looking out for me." Blah, blah, blah...that's complete BS. They don't care about you or anyone else. If they did, they wouldn't be smashing your phone from 2000 miles away just because you had it fixed in your local phone repair shop. There are literally, oh, I dunno...a hundred better ways to handle that!

Users have the right to use 3rd party parts on their phones at their own risk. I repeat...at their own risk. They may void the warranty if it's under warranty and they may face a security risk (probably never happened though), but they do so at their own risk.

It's not up to Apple. They shouldn't have a say. But that isn't the Apple way, we all know that.

Are you listening to yourself? That's ridiculous. Apple has no responsibility for stupid stuff you do with your phone. This ranks right up there as REALLY stupid stuff.

 

[Black Belt]

Yet, millions of Android users are still fine. And jailbreaks are using security holes to liberate iOS users from walled garden... Pretty sad, isn't it..

Do you even know what you're talking about? Jailbreaking is simply rooting, something ANY Android phone can do without effort. Apple is smart enough to say that's not a good idea. And it's not. And the vast majority of Apple users do not. There is no compelling need to at all.

 

[UnusedLoginID]

There's already many replies on this thread so it must be hitting a nerve. I don't have time to read them all but I guess the whiners who want to go to their local non-approved service center to repair their iPhones are the same that go to a mom-and-pop shop to replace the air bag in their car and see that bag pop open while they're driving. You get what you pay for! And by the way that Olmos guy complaining Apple Stores are few should just check Apple's home page, choose Macedonia as the country and look for Authorized Service Centers and then he would have found one in Skopje who would have used genuine parts. Case closed…!

 

[Dvda66au]

Go Apple!! Love Apple!!

If you want cheap unauthorised repairs to a cheap phone get an android.

100% with Apple on this.

 

[alphaod]

Sounds like a good security feature. Would stop someone from attached an hacked fingerprint reader to unlock your phone.

 

[J53119]

For those blaming it on the TouchID sensor, it might be replacement parts in general: (from a Ben @ iFixit forums)

"Not true... I had error 53 occur on my phone after a replaced the lcd and digitizer with a replacement screen. I kept the original touch home button. So even if you have the original home button, you may get error 53 if you don't have an OEM screen from Apple. After trying over and over to get last error 53, I fatally took the screen off my wife's phone, put my home button on it, and then my phone worked. I then put my screen back on the phone and gave my wife her screen back."

So something in the OS upgrade is triggering the checks and looking at all hardware. It doesn't necessarily mean that the repair shop put a new home button on/damaged it.

 

[Swordylove]

... besides sell him a new iPhone.

Well no **** !?

 

[GeneralChang]

I am sure if I replace figureprint sensor on Nexus 6P, I will not brick that phone.

Admit it, Apple just want your money

Ooh, I just had a great business idea for a budget repair shop that specializes in Android phones with fingerprint scanners...

 

[Muzzakus]

A compromised fingerprint sensor should be disabled, not the entire phone. Calling shenanigans on this one by Apple.

 

[Rafagon]

its a pain in the rear not being able to take it to a local phone shop.

Get a Nokia, and then you'll be able to take that to a "local phone shop" and have it repaired as many times as you like, and it will still work.

 

[LovingTeddy]

Do you even know what you're talking about? Jailbreaking is simply rooting, something ANY Android phone can do without effort. Apple is smart enough to say that's not a good idea. And it's not. And the vast majority of Apple users do not. There is no compelling need to at all.

Are you even serious? Are you equitying jailbreak with rooting?

First and foremost, jailbreak require security holes to gain access root directory. So jailbreak is hacking. Jailbreak also allow users to bypass iOS security mechanism to achieve things Apple would not want you do.

Root on Android is simply allow users to access root directory. Root does not mean your phone is less secure, it simply mean you can access root directory now. You can access root directory with Windows, Mac and Linux.

The reason why Apple does not want jailbreak is because jailbreak actually use iOS security holes and it is bad for iOS and secondly, jailbreak allows things Apple does not want user to do, ie, set default appication, customize your home screen to your like.

With root, nothing bad will happen to your phone but it gives you more flexibity to do more stuff otherwise you would not able to do. Of course, there is security concerns as well. But is ultimately users choice to do whatever they wish to do.

 

[Mac 128]

For those blaming it on the TouchID sensor, it might be replacement parts in general: (from a Ben @ iFixit forums)

"Not true... I had error 53 occur on my phone after a replaced the lcd and digitizer with a replacement screen. I kept the original touch home button. So even if you have the original home button, you may get error 53 if you don't have an OEM screen from Apple. After trying over and over to get last error 53, I fatally took the screen off my wife's phone, put my home button on it, and then my phone worked. I then put my screen back on the phone and gave my wife her screen back."

So something in the OS upgrade is triggering the checks and looking at all hardware. It doesn't necessarily mean that the repair shop put a new home button on/damaged it.

Interesting. I just upgraded my 5s to 9.2.1 and my Touch ID no longer works. The setup screen jumps to a failure message. I wonder if that's the 5s version of this 6 Error 53? I haven't had time to get it to an Apple Store yet to diagnose, but the support chat person told me the 9.2.1 update "exposed a weakness" in the hardware, whatever that means. On a side note: this phone was an Apple replacement for warranty issue a little over a year ago. Since it was likely a refurbished phone, is it possible that the company Apple outsources repairs to replaced the Home button with a defective part? Curious.

 

[LovingTeddy]

Sounds like a good security feature. Would stop someone from attached an hacked fingerprint reader to unlock your phone.

You will not able too. Mismatch will cause TouchID stop working and that all it is. You will not able to attach unauthorized TouchID reader to use TouchID.

 

[Rafagon]

If I was going to fly on an airplane that had had an unauthorized repair performed on it, (or a cheap, knock-off part installed), I'd rather the whole plane get bricked before my flight begins rather than fly on a compromised airplane.

This doesn't make me feel safe at all - To Cut Costs, Airlines Send Repairs Abroad.

Same with compromised iPhones keeping our private information on them. I applaud Apple's move to prevent these scenarios.

 

[LovingTeddy]

If I was going to fly on an airplane that had had an unauthorized repair performed on it, (or a cheap, knock-off part installed), I'd rather the whole plane get bricked before my flight begins rather than fly on a compromised airplane.

This doesn't make me feel safe at all - To Cut Costs, Airlines Send Repairs Abroad.

Same with compromised iPhones keeping our private information on them. I applaud Apple's move to prevent these scenarios.

You applaud Apple brick users iPhone without notifying users and who give Apple right to brick users phone?

Seriously? If you can easily comprise TouchID by change the TouchID sensor and only way to prevent is brick phone, I would not call it secure and ultimately very stupid implementation

 

[lordofthereef]

Here is why this is good:
Iy keeps someone from accessing your phone, replacing the fingerprints hardware, and effectively using it as a middle man entry point into your data (where the hardware may have a chip that stores fingerprints and sends that data to Apple's hardware as an unlock request).

Here is why this is bad:
AFAIK, Apple makes no mention of this. It's reasonable to expect to be able to have any device you buy repaired by a third party without having the manufacturer render that device unusable.

I am interested in seeing how this story unfolds. I can see Apple's security stance on this one, while at the same time question whether this may get them in legal trouble, as I would think it can be argued that it is a means of blocking third party repairs (thus forcing all income from repairs to head to Apple's bank account).
[doublepost=1454715229][/doublepost]

For those blaming it on the TouchID sensor, it might be replacement parts in general: (from a Ben @ iFixit forums)

"Not true... I had error 53 occur on my phone after a replaced the lcd and digitizer with a replacement screen. I kept the original touch home button. So even if you have the original home button, you may get error 53 if you don't have an OEM screen from Apple. After trying over and over to get last error 53, I fatally took the screen off my wife's phone, put my home button on it, and then my phone worked. I then put my screen back on the phone and gave my wife her screen back."

So something in the OS upgrade is triggering the checks and looking at all hardware. It doesn't necessarily mean that the repair shop put a new home button on/damaged it.

This has me questioning this issue even more then. I can lean towards security being the reasoning for touch ID. Not sure about a screen...

 

[macsrcool1234]

The optimist in me says Apple wants to protect us from government tampering in our phones.

The pessimist in me says they want to cash in our new phones/out of warranty repairs.

 

[lordofthereef]

You applaud Apple brick users iPhone without notifying users and who give Apple right to brick users phone?

Seriously? If you can easily comprise TouchID by change the TouchID sensor and only way to prevent is brick phone, I would not call it secure and ultimately very stupid implementation

And herein lies the issue. I think people are overlooking (or maybe don't care because they don't see this ever effecting them, and if it doesn't effect them, certainly it doesn't matter) the fact that Apple hasn't given any warngings about this. Above there is a quote from ifixit where this doesn't even seem to be limited to the touch ID sensor. I have a much greater issue with the screen than I do the sensor, even though I likely wouldn't find myself repairing at a third party shop since all of the ones I know here in the mall are maybe $20 cheaper than APple, if that.
[doublepost=1454715534][/doublepost]

Are you even serious? Are you equitying jailbreak with rooting?

First and foremost, jailbreak require security holes to gain access root directory. So jailbreak is hacking. Jailbreak also allow users to bypass iOS security mechanism to achieve things Apple would not want you do.

Root on Android is simply allow users to access root directory. Root does not mean your phone is less secure, it simply mean you can access root directory now. You can access root directory with Windows, Mac and Linux.

The reason why Apple does not want jailbreak is because jailbreak actually use iOS security holes and it is bad for iOS and secondly, jailbreak allows things Apple does not want user to do, ie, set default appication, customize your home screen to your like.

With root, nothing bad will happen to your phone but it gives you more flexibity to do more stuff otherwise you would not able to do. Of course, there is security concerns as well. But is ultimately users choice to do whatever they wish to do.

I think the comparison was that both give the user root access. From a user standpoint (who wants root access, that is why we jailbreak) it's a fair comparison. THat said, you covered why they are different (in practice) rather thoroughly here.

 

[Rob198612]

Why?

If my iPhone is out of warranty, then I should be able to have it repaired by who ever I want.

I can see why it might be a good thing to avoid circumventing the security on stolen phones, but from a user standpoint who wants a repair, apple repairs aren't exactly the cheapest, or in the UK and other countries where apple stores are only in big cities, its a pain in the rear not being able to take it to a local phone shop.

you can have your phone serviced anywhere you want and it won't bricked your phone only if u replace the touchid with a non apple certified one is when it happens

 

[Muzzakus]

If I was going to fly on an airplane that had had an unauthorized repair performed on it, (or a cheap, knock-off part installed), I'd rather the whole plane get bricked before my flight begins rather than fly on a compromised airplane.

This doesn't make me feel safe at all - To Cut Costs, Airlines Send Repairs Abroad.

Same with compromised iPhones keeping our private information on them. I applaud Apple's move to prevent these scenarios.

So the whole plane would go to the scrap heap because it may have an unauthorised TV screen installed on one of the seats? Talk about hyperbole

 

[Black Belt]

Are you even serious? Are you equitying jailbreak with rooting?

First and foremost, jailbreak require security holes to gain access root directory. So jailbreak is hacking. Jailbreak also allow users to bypass iOS security mechanism to achieve things Apple would not want you do.

Root on Android is simply allow users to access root directory. Root does not mean your phone is less secure, it simply mean you can access root directory now. You can access root directory with Windows, Mac and Linux.

The reason why Apple does not want jailbreak is because jailbreak actually use iOS security holes and it is bad for iOS and secondly, jailbreak allows things Apple does not want user to do, ie, set default appication, customize your home screen to your like.

With root, nothing bad will happen to your phone but it gives you more flexibity to do more stuff otherwise you would not able to do. Of course, there is security concerns as well. But is ultimately users choice to do whatever they wish to do.

Sad. Just sad.
[doublepost=1454716303][/doublepost]

For those blaming it on the TouchID sensor, it might be replacement parts in general: (from a Ben @ iFixit forums)

"Not true... I had error 53 occur on my phone after a replaced the lcd and digitizer with a replacement screen. I kept the original touch home button. So even if you have the original home button, you may get error 53 if you don't have an OEM screen from Apple. After trying over and over to get last error 53, I fatally took the screen off my wife's phone, put my home button on it, and then my phone worked. I then put my screen back on the phone and gave my wife her screen back."

So something in the OS upgrade is triggering the checks and looking at all hardware. It doesn't necessarily mean that the repair shop put a new home button on/damaged it.

Of course it doesn't, but the uninformed Android users infecting the forum ignore that inconvenient truth.

 

[Deuce on the Clock]

Brickgate 2016

 

[joueboy]

Who cares what was.. Talk about what is. Clearly in fact very clearly security was IMPROVED in iOS 9. Apple Pay btw came to be in iOS 8.

I want my data safe TODAY. Apple must make these devices as fail proof as they can.

I'm glad they are serious even if it means pissing off a percentage of customers that seek unauthorized repair centers to fix their devices.

There is not one of these so called after market iphone repair centers here in Los Angeles that don't feel sketchy at best when entering them. All of them. Heck even the lame "geek squad" centers in Best Buy stores have been caught stealing customers data.

Why shouldn't Apple protect themselves from the potential for tampering with a proprietary feature on their devices that could ultimately HARM US???

What makes you think you're safe from Apple especially from store, you're dealing with people you don't know. Those criminals has nothing to do with Best Buy clearly they broke the law. Besides Apple already sold your browsing data to Google for $1 billion. The only proof of safety you're talking so far is a state of mind. If you feel secure because that's how you feel so be it.