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

[I7guy]

I really don't understand this - if you install a 3rd party Touch ID module in it and the phone can detect it which it clearly can, why doesn't it just 'brick' the Touch ID feature on the phone so it no longer works, or even (worse case) require you to factory reset the phone before you can use it again and then give you a warning that you are using non-genuine parts and security could be comprised?

I cannot believe it just bricks the whole thing and people are supporting Apple, yes, they are trying to protect data but this is the most extreme action they could have taken! Surely there are many other ways they could have protected the users data, just bricking the phone is absolutely ridiculous and they are (rightly so) going to hit with lawsuits because of this.

Agreed, but these lawsuits are going to go nowhere.

 

[danny_w]

Agreed, but these lawsuits are going to go nowhere.

I would not so sure of that this time around. This may bring Apple's insistence on authorized service centers and genuine parts into the light of day. That kind of wording in a warranty has been illegal in the US since the 1970s. I know VW was trying it as late as the 80s (I remember the wording being in the manual of my 1983 Rabbit). This one could prove difficult for Apple.

 

[gingofthesouth]

I really don't understand this - if you install a 3rd party Touch ID module in it and the phone can detect it which it clearly can, why doesn't it just 'brick' the Touch ID feature on the phone so it no longer works, or even (worse case) require you to factory reset the phone before you can use it again and then give you a warning that you are using non-genuine parts and security could be comprised?

I cannot believe it just bricks the whole thing and people are supporting Apple, yes, they are trying to protect data but this is the most extreme action they could have taken! Surely there are many other ways they could have protected the users data, just bricking the phone is absolutely ridiculous and they are (rightly so) going to hit with lawsuits because of this.

Basically this. I registered on the forum just to say this.

If they can identify a non genuine or invalid touch ID sensor, they should just disable the touch ID services and essentially treat it as a device sans touch ID.

What is worse about this, is that for many, they don't realise that because their Touch ID button is not working, when they update their otherwise perfectly working iPhone, the update fails leaving the phone in a bricked state. This isn't when the button has been replaced by a third party. This is just when the touch ID stopped working due to say, dropping the phone.
This is not doing right by your customers.

 

[I7guy]

I would not so sure of that this time around. This may bring Apple's insistence on authorized service centers and genuine parts into the light of day. That kind of wording in a warranty has been illegal in the US since the 1970s. I know VW was trying it as late as the 80s (I remember the wording being in the manual of my 1983 Rabbit). This one could prove difficult for Apple.

Then there is the little issue of the DCMA in the middle of this; of which apple could conceivably make a case about. The law does not force apple to support 3rd party parts that do not adhere to it's standards. At any rate, all of this lawsuit talk is talk until it happens and the verdict rendered.

 

[Glideslope]

My, oh my, oh my.

Then there is the little issue of the DCMA in the middle of this; of which apple could conceivably make a case about. The law does not force apple to support 3rd party parts that do not adhere to it's standards. At any rate, all of this lawsuit talk is talk until it happens and the verdict rendered.

Yes. In, say, 2025? If at all.

 

[kdarling]

I think it's not just protecting data, but making phone thefts less attractive. This way, if a thief tries to replace the TouchID unit, the stolen phone can not be used at all.

The Touch ID reader doesn't store anything, so that makes no sense. For that matter, something basic in this whole tale doesn't make sense as reported so far:

Supposedly the Touch ID and Secure Enclave share a provisioned key, so the Secure Enclave can trust the data it's getting from the sensor. Fine, we've been told something similar is also done between the Secure Enclave and Secure Element for payment control. (*)

But if so, then why the heck do replacement sensors work at all? Shouldn't they be missing the key and therefore ignored by the Secure Enclave? Or is Apple handwaving and it's not really that secure at all.

(*) Interestingly, a possibly similar bug in key handling is apparently responsible for people losing the ability to add Apple Pay cards after resets / etc.

 

[chatin]

Basically this. I registered on the forum just to say this.

If they can identify a non genuine or invalid touch ID sensor, they should just disable the touch ID services and essentially treat it as a device sans touch ID.

What is worse about this, is that for many, they don't realise that because their Touch ID button is not working, when they update their otherwise perfectly working iPhone, the update fails leaving the phone in a bricked state. This isn't when the button has been replaced by a third party. This is just when the touch ID stopped working due to say, dropping the phone.
This is not doing right by your customers.

The world is littered with bricked iwaste. Apple needs to fix this or they get a worse rep than BP.

 

[jfyrfytr25]

This is Apple telling us not to venture out of their ecosystem. In this case, if you try it your phone will be bricked. Imagine if you had to use genuine GM parts to repair your car or else your care is bricked. This scares the **** out of me.

But replacing brake pads on you car does not have the potential of having personal data and financial info stolen. You can't have things both ways. People can't scream about how companies need to protect our personal data scorn them over breaches. Then turn around and criticize them for taking a measure like this to do exactly that.

This is exactly what I expect the company that makes the hardware that I put sensitive info on to do to protect me.

Imagine having your phone stolen and they install a hacked sensor to bypass your passcode and use your apple pay. Then proceed to clean out your bank account and max out every single card you have.

 

[mateytate]

But replacing brake pads on you car does not have the potential of having personal data and financial info stolen. You can't have things both ways. People can't scream about how companies need to protect our personal data scorn them over breaches. Then turn around and criticize them for taking a measure like this to do exactly that.

This is exactly what I expect the company that makes the hardware that I put sensitive info on to do to protect me.

Imagine having your phone stolen and they install a hacked sensor to bypass your passcode and use your apple pay. Then proceed to clean out your bank account and max out every single card you have.

But as my post earlier said, the phone can clearly detect it has a 3rd party part, so why the hell doesn't it just 'brick' the Touch ID system rather than brick the whole phone? Its absolute overkill, surely you can see that? I'd be OK with it saying "Touch ID deactivated due to non-genuine parts", I could accept that and understand the logic. But the whole phone, ridiculous.

 

[uid15]

One simple word: Good.

This is called PROPER DESIGN, and further affirms why I tell people "Take your still-under-warranty Apple device TO APPLE for repair, not some knock-off Joe on the unlocking stall at the local market, who is sitting under a tent made from metal posts and clamped-on candy striped tarpaulins, fitting a new LCD in the open air whilst he eats his hummus and salad with the other hand (I used to work at a mobile repair shop owned by some very nice Arab guys where the repair bench was squashed up next to the sink, and their salad and orange juice was 2" away from the "work bench" - NOT IDEAL.)
[doublepost=1454803886][/doublepost]

But as my post earlier said, the phone can clearly detect it has a 3rd party part, so why the hell doesn't it just 'brick' the Touch ID system rather than brick the whole phone? Its absolute overkill, surely you can see that? I'd be OK with it saying "Touch ID deactivated due to non-genuine parts", I could accept that and understand the logic. But the whole phone, ridiculous.

"Bricking" is a generic umbrella term used by Joe Schmoe who knows almost nothing about low-level hardware & firmware operations.

Next...

 

[Tsuchiya]

One simple word: Good.

This is called PROPER DESIGN, and further affirms why I tell people "Take your still-under-warranty Apple device TO APPLE for repair, not some knock-off Joe on the unlocking stall at the local market, who is sitting under a tent made from metal posts and clamped-on candy striped tarpaulins, fitting a new LCD in the open air whilst he eats his hummus and salad with the other hand (I used to work at a mobile repair shop owned by some very nice Arab guys where the repair bench was squashed up next to the sink, and their salad and orange juice was 2" away from the "work bench" - NOT IDEAL.)
[doublepost=1454803886][/doublepost]

"Bricking" is a generic umbrella term used by Joe Schmoe who knows almost nothing about low-level hardware & firmware operations.

Next...

I kinda get what you're trying to say but that anecdotal example is ridiculous.

Also while I'm happy Apple are taking steps to ensure our data is protected, completely writing off a users device and wanting them to cover the OOW cost is a little heavy handed. Not sure why they couldn't simply force iPhones to reset, thus wiping any data stored on them, and require the user to reactivate via their Apple ID. If Touch ID is compromised at this point, then it could just remain disabled.

 

[mateytate]

One simple word: Good.

This is called PROPER DESIGN, and further affirms why I tell people "Take your still-under-warranty Apple device TO APPLE for repair, not some knock-off Joe on the unlocking stall at the local market, who is sitting under a tent made from metal posts and clamped-on candy striped tarpaulins, fitting a new LCD in the open air whilst he eats his hummus and salad with the other hand (I used to work at a mobile repair shop owned by some very nice Arab guys where the repair bench was squashed up next to the sink, and their salad and orange juice was 2" away from the "work bench" - NOT IDEAL.)
[doublepost=1454803886][/doublepost]

"Bricking" is a generic umbrella term used by Joe Schmoe who knows almost nothing about low-level hardware & firmware operations.

Next...

Which is fine for 'in warranty' equipment, though not everyone can afford to have a phone less than a year old, and those same people may not be able to afford an Apple repair, or even live near to an Apple Store, and a 3rd part repair place may be the answer. Hell, I've replaced screens myself which I've bought off eBay and they work perfectly well.

I accept I'm not a low level hardware expert, but I'm absolutely sure there would be a better solution than this.

 

[maxsix]

At the end of the day, it's Apple's controlling practices that assure they keep sales moving along one way or another. It's just how Apple operates. Always have, always will. It's just a phone, albeit a very expensive one.

 

[uid15]

I kinda get what you're trying to say but that anecdotal example is ridiculous.

Also while I'm happy Apple are taking steps to ensure our data is protected, completely writing off a users device and wanting them to cover the OOW cost is a little heavy handed. Not sure why they couldn't simply force iPhones to reset, thus wiping any data stored on them, and require the user to reactivate via their Apple ID. If Touch ID is compromised at this point, then it could just remain disabled.

There'll be well thought out, logical reasons - always is with Apple designs. Just because we don't know what they are, doesn't mean there aren't any.

 

[thering1975]

I don't see how anyone can defend the actions taken at all let alone claim a company is protecting my interests. Guess what I do not need a company to look out for my actions.

I would understand if like others have said it disabled touch I'd itself and subsequently remove all card details thus rendering apple pay defunct. That's a suitable response which upholds security requirements but to soft brick a phone is just plain stupidity.

For example

If you root a Samsung phone with Knox two things happen. First it blows an efuse which is a single bit of memory. This cannot be undone and shows Samsung that the phone has been tampered with. This affects you warranty but also disables Knox secure features and apps thus risk is negated. Job done and the customer still gets to use the phone they paid and OWN

Or

If you root a phone with android pay android pay becomes useless and will not function. Some managed to use the new systemless root but android has defeated that. So yes the feature is disabled as it should but the phone still operates as normal

And if it was a security feature then it should be instant should it not like a check on every boot. Not only when an update pops along.

So either apple take your security seriously as some say, just not that seriously as the check can wait, or this is typical apple marketing machine trying to excuse in any way they can an issue they can't solve and don't want to pay for


I like how some gloss over this as if its OK for some company to render your purchase obsolete.

 

[SusanK]

Why would the reference to Cook not also apply to Jobs? Under Jobs, Apple's policy in regards to third party repair facilities was the same that it is now. So unless you can prove that this Error 53 business is actually an intentional business decision by Cook to increase iPhone sales, all we have to go by is the policies that led to the Error 53 problem in the first place- only authorized repair facilities can replace components within Apple hardware. Within the bounds of that policy, it can be reasonably expected that some non-authorized repairs might not turn out as well as legitimate ones.

Now, as to why I brought Jobs up in the first place- Cook gets unfairly targeted for things that Jobs did as well, along with being pinned as excessively greedy. I was simply pointing out that if Cook is actually greedy, then so is Jobs.

Steve is dead. Dead men cannot be greedy due to the dead thing.

 

[Tubamajuba]

Steve is dead. Dead men cannot be greedy due to the dead thing.

*sigh*

Okay, if Cook is greedy, so was Jobs.

Then again, if you believe in ghosts...

 

[kdarling]

Imagine having your phone stolen and they install a hacked sensor to bypass your passcode and use your apple pay. Then proceed to clean out your bank account and max out every single card you have.

I'm sorry to inject some anti-fearmongering here, but how the heck do you (or anyone else here) propose that a replacement sensor is going to magically do that?

The sensor doesn't decide if your finger matches. The secure enclave code does that from previously stored match points that nothing outside of itself would know.

(Unless of course the thief already had a digital copy of your fingerprint, in which case they can make a fake resin fingertip and not even have to crack open the stolen phone.)

--

As for fear of "being cleaned out", that's not even true with current physical cards, as long as you report them stolen.

In the case of Apple Pay, you also simply go online and disable the cards if your phone is stolen.

 

[SusanK]

Then again, if you believe in ghosts...

Cook would be unemployed?
[doublepost=1454819496][/doublepost]Fun chatting with you, Tubamajuba. Gotta go. Bernie is on SNL.

 

[Radon87000]

LOL Tim Cook screwing with those Rebels I see.Apple's arrogance will result in it's downfall

 

[I7guy]

It hasn't yet, the money keeps flowing in the door.

 

[dark_knight177]

It hasn't yet, the money keeps flowing in the door.

Not anymore. Tim Cook said he expects decline in both profits and revenue in the next quarter.

Even biggest Apple shills such as Walt Mossberg started bashing Apple for their poor software quality. And I completely agree. I am sure those factors will accelerate the decline even more.

 

[Radon87000]

It hasn't yet, the money keeps flowing in the door.

If you read the Forbes article you will realise why that's no longer the case.

 

[dark_knight177]

You also can't ignore the fact that Apple software quality have dipped very low. Every blogger from Walt Mossberg to Engadget (All known Apple shills) are criticizing Apple for their poor app quality. Yes it's really that bad.

 

[Lloydbm41]

Man, all these pages of wasted typing, when all that needed to be said is, "You're holding it wrong."

Isn't that the typical Apple comment when they screw up?