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

[ramanjassal98]

First, talking about the EU as a whole is a bit dangerous, especially when the UK may very well be on its way out. I live in Norway, home of consumer protection. However, phones aren't given the same level of protection as computers or other large appliances for good reason. They aren't expected to last and are subjected to very different treatment than for example a TV or laptop. However, in ANY case, 3rd party unauthorized servicing would void any consumer protection.

Yep, but hopefully the UK makes the right decision....

The laws do exist and kind of protect smartphones but they aren't well known by consumers and businesses alike. As you mentioned, cases involving smartphones aren't usually successful due to the way they are treated.

But if the consumer is not directly at fault, surely they should be protected by these kinds of laws? If the consumer did modify their device or allowed it to go under unauthorised servicing, that's a different matter. The consumer is clearly at fault and Apple or anyone for that matter has no obligation to repair/replace the device for free.

But what if they didn't? That's the point I'm making, I'm sure Apple by now have realised by investigating these devices that it's not only third party modification/servicing that's causing the issue.

If anybody else is lucky enough to live in the UK/EU and have experienced this issue and your not at fault, don't give up! Research the EU Consumer Law, The UK Sales of Goods Act and for appeals contact the Communication Obudsman.

If I could convince EE (which probably has the worst customer service of any UK network) to accept my case, anything is possible!

 

[lyceumHQ]

Just got Error 53. iPhone 6S which has never been damaged, or repaired. iOS 9.2.1.
I suspect the Touch ID sensor failed all by itself yesterday - tried to restore iPhone today during trouble shooting and now bricked. I think this problem is bigger than just 3rd party repairs.....

And this is why this error 53 bull is utterly outrageous.

This posters phone has never been repaired by a 3rd party and yet Apple have purposefully bricked it. Apple have, on purpose, made this posters phone useless. When he has no third party repairs what so ever.

Now maybe he can go to apple and get it replaced. But what if the genius he talks to says sorry you'll only get error 53 if you have had a 3rd party repair so we're not replacing unless you pay.

Or what if this happens to someone who's device is no longer in warranty. No 3rd party repair and yet the company who manufacture the phone they've shelled out £600+ on can brick that device and to make it work again he has to pay Apple £200+.

Sorry but that's absolutely outrageous.

Fair enough if there was absolutely no way it could mess up and accidentally brick a phone that hasn't had third party repairs but there isn't. It will get it wrong and people will have no choice but to pay Apple when they've done nothing wrong.

 

[I7guy]

And this is why this error 53 bull is utterly outrageous.

This posters phone has never been repaired by a 3rd party and yet Apple have purposefully bricked it. Apple have, on purpose, made this posters phone useless. When he has no third party repairs what so ever.

Now maybe he can go to apple and get it replaced. But what if the genius he talks to says sorry you'll only get error 53 if you have had a 3rd party repair so we're not replacing unless you pay.

Or what if this happens to someone who's device is no longer in warranty. No 3rd party repair and yet the company who manufacture the phone they've shelled out £600+ on can brick that device and to make it work again he has to pay Apple £200+.

Sorry but that's absolutely outrageous.

Fair enough if there was absolutely no way it could mess up and accidentally brick a phone that hasn't had third party repairs but there isn't. It will get it wrong and people will have no choice but to pay Apple when they've done nothing wrong.

It seems like a basic hardware failure, most modern computer systems panic when the hardware doesn't work.

 

[lyceumHQ]

It seems like a basic hardware failure, most modern computer systems panic when the hardware doesn't work.

This is true.

But if I have a dell computer and the ram fails and I replace it with different ram dell doesn't brick my entire computer.

Or since Apple are saying this is a security measure. If I uninstall the antivirus that comes with my dell computer and install a different one. Dell doesn't brick my entire computer.

Then tell me they want £200 to undo that bricking.

As I said if there was a way to make it so that it would never under any circumstances brick due to hardware failure and only ever brick devices that have 100% no doubt about it been repaired by a 3rd party I'd still hate it. But at least there would be no chance some poor user would end up with a useless phone. As it stands there is no way to do that.

It also should stop once the device is no longer in warranty.


Apple are wrong here.

They've no right to make a phone Someone has spent hard earned money on useless because They decided to not chose Apple to repair a device.

I own my iPhone. It's not apples. I'm not renting it. It's mine. I have paid for it. I own it.

That really is all there is to it.

 

[I7guy]

This is true.

But if I have a dell computer and the ram fails and I replace it with different ram dell doesn't brick my entire computer.

Or since Apple are saying this is a security measure. If I uninstall the antivirus that comes with my dell computer and install a different one. Dell doesn't brick my entire computer.

Then tell me they want £200 to undo that bricking.

As I said if there was a way to make it so that it would never under any circumstances brick due to hardware failure and only ever brick devices that have 100% no doubt about it been repaired by a 3rd party I'd still hate it. But at least there would be no chance some poor user would end up with a useless phone. As it stands there is no way to do that.

It also should stop once the device is no longer in warranty.


Apple are wrong here.

They've no right to make a phone Someone has spent hard earned money on useless because They decided to not chose Apple to repair a device.

I own my iPhone. It's not apples. I'm not renting it. It's mine. I have paid for it. I own it.

That really is all there is to it.

The difference is that ram meets the specs; ram that didn't meet the spec would stop the post. A third part touchid part does not meet the spec.

BTW, where does one get third party touch parts?

 

[lyceumHQ]

The difference is that ram meets the specs; ram that didn't meet the spec would stop the post. A third part touchid part does not meet the spec.

BTW, where does one get third party touch parts?

The difference is dell aren't Apple and couldn't get away with this crap.

I've no idea. I've never taken my iPhone's to anywhere but Apple for repai and I never would. But as we've seen people with no repairs are still getting the error 53. And if you're not in warranty then you've got to pay Apple to fix the issue they caused. That is why I'm so annoyed here. Because it will end up costing people who haven't had third party repairs.

I'm sorry but Apple are utterly wrong here.

I've had iPhones for 7 years now. I love everything about them. But I'm sorry I'm not spending £600 to play the error 53 lottery.

 

[I7guy]

The difference is dell aren't Apple and couldn't get away with this crap.

I've no idea. I've never taken my iPhone's to anywhere but Apple for repai and I never would. But as we've seen people with no repairs are still getting the error 53. And if you're not in warranty then you've got to pay Apple to fix the issue they caused. That is why I'm so annoyed here. Because it will end up costing people who haven't had third party repairs.

I'm sorry but Apple are utterly wrong here.

I've had iPhones for 7 years now. I love everything about them. But I'm sorry I'm not spending £600 to play the error 53 lottery.

My guess this happens more frequently and with other vendors also. As I said it sounds like error 53 is a panic due to bad hardware or unauthorized modifications that left the hardware in a state the software can't recognize it. I'd really like to know numbers.

 

[timeconsumer]

...but how about just disabling Touch ID instead of bricking the whole phone, forcing people to buy a new one? Why can't Apple just replace Touch ID again to make the existing phone work?

Exactly, doesn't Touch ID require a backup method such as a PIN? Why couldn't Apple just disable Touch ID completely and then only allow for PIN. Basically revert the device back to having only a home button, sure people would lose out on Touch ID capabilities but their phones wouldn't be useless.

 

[danny_w]

From Forbes:

"If anything is going to bring Apple down, it will be Apple itself. And the arrogant view that could accelerate that process is on full view. That is the error that lies behind Error 53."

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2016/02/06/what-caused-iphone-error-53/#15dd7ab4e297

 

[Col4bin]

Oh right, Google has the same reputation for security as Apple. You make me laugh.

You and all the other predictable whiners are actually saying that Apple's insisting on the security of your fingerprint is a money grab?!

You know, if you keep posting absurd nonsense no will pay attention if you actually start to make sense one day. Just helping you out here.

Your argument cuts both ways.
[doublepost=1454879642][/doublepost]

Oh, stop just stop. As many people point out, it is nothing about security, it is entirely about money grabbing.

Let me ask you, if it is all about "security' why Applee waited for 9 months to brick the phonr? Why Apple can't simply wipe out the data and the phone still useful?

And second, TouchID sensor cannot read data in Secure Enclaves. It is just one way communication. When TouchID sensor does not match, TouchID function will stop work. There is no way some jacket can produce hacked version of TouchID to steal you information. 1) they do not know your fingerprint 2) they have no access to Secure Enclaves. Everything is encrypted, there is no way some magician hacker would able to get access your phone.

As many point out, Apple does not need brick someone's phone. It is all about force you go buy a new phone. Well, this is something Apple can do to push their iPhone sale where it gonna go down for this quarter

Bingo. Nailed it right there. As an owner of an iPhone 6, I am NOT forced by Apple to use the home button enabled finger print sensor technology to unlock my phone. So even if I have never taken the time to set this feature up, Apple will still brick my phone if I have third party fix my home button?

So in this example this intentional bricking is based on what again--security they say? Shows just how Apple feels of it's consumer's intelligence while exposing their true intent of greed above all else.

 

[b0fh666]

So in this example this intentional bricking is based on what again--security they say? Shows just how Apple feels of it's consumer's intelligence while exposing their true intent of greed above all else.

and they are not far off considering lots of replies to this thread. same stuff with the 'rootless' crap in el capitan, which I suspect will be my last OSX upgrade as the next one will probably have no way to disable that.

third-party security is for sheep, no thanks, I do my own security TYVM.

cheers

 

[Frazzle]

I get all the arguments around security and all that. But when the Touch ID button on my 5S decided to break (all on its own), the TouchID option simply disappeared from the menus. Silently. It was gone. The button behaved like a normal home button and the device asked for my passcode to be typed in. They could have done the same thing here without compromising anything. Not a genuine scanner? Lock TouchID data, close the protected yadayada on the chip, and simply ask for a passcode. You're still burned by not using a genuine part, but at least you still have your data.

 

[Drizzx]

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.

Your analogy is flawed. There are parts on the iPhone you can repair with OEM, just not those that are core to security.

Nor can you buy a 3rd party ECM or BCM for your GM. Even if you take one off the same make/model you still need to take it to GM to have it programmed. NO ONE ELSE can do that but an authorized GM repair Centre.

If Joe Blows auto service did the swap they'd still have to take it to the GM dealer to have it programmed. The same is true for all auto manufactures.

 

[countryside]

Personally, I don't see what all the fuss is about. Apple is being the wonderful Apple I know by keeping its community safe, and making sure they are not responsible for any sorts of security risks.

 

[Capt T]

It is so funny, so many of you act as if Apple is the only one that does this. Any manufacturer has the right not to support a product if unauthorized parts are used. And they follow through. Apple is not responsible for changing/writing code to accommodate unauthorized parts, and the moment someone other than Apple or an authorized dealer/repair shop opens up the device all bets are off. It is in the user agreement. Wonder if those shops let their customers know that?

well that means it isnt mandatory.

what ms does is no justification. i dont believe they are some holy entity. however that and possibly this just further illustrates how immensely unequal and unfair how these terms have become and the reach of corporations.

where is it stated that apple does not have to support it and where are the consequences of those actions implied?

i hope this is a bug and apple really dosent intend to go this far.



seems like a fair comparison.

one lets you access content without paying for it while having ads. the other ruins your device.

In the terms you agree to when you register the device. What company does not void your warranty or have a clause that lets you know it is voided if an unauthorized dealer/repair shop/ person opens your device?

They are not obligated to to support anyone that voids the warranty. And Apple unlike most help quite a few out when out of warranty or other mishaps where the warranty is voided. It is why there is Apple Care.

And I did not say MS' actions justified anything, but that Apple is not the only company...

Here is the thing, you me, or anyone else alters any of our electronics outside of what is allowed under warranty, and we are SOL...it has been that way for many years. I have altered equipment in the past for work in order to make it work within what was needed...knowing full well that the moment we cracked open the casing all bets were off. We have also had manufactures write us special firmware to suit a project, but if the end user updated it, it would break the system. It is the risk you take or don't. Go to an unauthorized dealer, take your chances.

Also, Apple, Google, Samsung, MS,and others are constantly updating their security. So just because something worked on one revision, does not mean it will work on any others. Just ask the guys that jailbreak their phones.

 

[LovingTeddy]

Personally, I don't see what all the fuss is about. Apple is being the wonderful Apple I know by keeping its community safe, and making sure they are not responsible for any sorts of security risks.

I don't need Apple to take care my *** and it is not about security. I bet you have not read all the comments.

I am planning to sell my iPhone 6S and only keep my iPod Touch. So I don't get screwed by Apple when I sent my iPhone to repair by someone... No, I am not paying top dollars to Apple when my iPhone is out of warranty.

 

[nj1266]

As I always tell those who do not like Apple's corporate practices, vote with your wallet. If you find Apple products outrageously expensive, lacking in value, locked down, with poor laggy software and designed by greedy folks to extract more money from you, and you still buy those product then you have no right to complain.

It is the same people who complain almost all the time. Just sell your idevices and do not buy any more from such a lousy company. Apple has shown time and again that they will do anything to maximize their profits. It is their fiduciary responsibility to their stock holders to do so. As a consumer of Apple products you should know that by now. The next logical step is to buy electronics from another company. It is that simple.

 

[Radon87000]

The difference is that ram meets the specs; ram that didn't meet the spec would stop the post. A third part touchid part does not meet the spec.

BTW, where does one get third party touch parts?

There's a third part repair store across the street from where I live.He repairs iPhones and Has new TouchID sensors(I asked)

 

[JimOS]

And this is why this error 53 bull is utterly outrageous.

This posters phone has never been repaired by a 3rd party and yet Apple have purposefully bricked it. Apple have, on purpose, made this posters phone useless. When he has no third party repairs what so ever.

Now maybe he can go to apple and get it replaced. But what if the genius he talks to says sorry you'll only get error 53 if you have had a 3rd party repair so we're not replacing unless you pay.

Or what if this happens to someone who's device is no longer in warranty. No 3rd party repair and yet the company who manufacture the phone they've shelled out £600+ on can brick that device and to make it work again he has to pay Apple £200+.

Sorry but that's absolutely outrageous.

Fair enough if there was absolutely no way it could mess up and accidentally brick a phone that hasn't had third party repairs but there isn't. It will get it wrong and people will have no choice but to pay Apple when they've done nothing wrong.

I still can't believe I got all the way to page 30 of these posts and still have not seen anyone described what is going on here. Apple explains it all in their security white paper (http://www.apple.com/business/docs/iOS_Security_Guide.pdf).

Essentially, the security enclave and the Touch ID sensor have been fused together (essentially - have had a trusted means of finding out what the public key is for the other entity). These two components "wrap" (encrypt) keys and data for each other that allows them to authorize/validate other components (like new software).

By replacing the TouchID without first unwrapping the keys/data encrypted by the old one, and without changing the registered pubic key for wrappings going forward, the system has been storing "garbage" for those bits of data needed to validate the OS and/or release the activation lock on the phone. Nothing knows this data is garbage until you need it (that's why it's tied to the OS update). You can't "check it" before you need it, and even if you could, it's still garbage.

So, why doesn't Apple have a way to reset it? Because if they did, they would be compelled [by various government agencies] to use it to let them have access to the data. Also, if it's there for Apple, others will find a way to trigger it without getting Apple compelled to be involved. Best not to get involved by not putting the back door in. This makes great sense for the user data.

The issue here is that the same technique seems to have been employed for the activation lock. I think there is less philosophical reasons for this particular feature to not have a back door - but I'm sure phone thieves would love that.

And until the re-fusing is done, it will continue to store garbage keys that will be found out "way too late" as well.

 

[oldoneeye]

While I understand the vitriol against Apple for this error, it makes sense from a security standpoint. Hopefully, having an authorized Apple repair center replace the home button with a legitimate one can restore a phone giving this error.

But Apple charge 30% of the price of the phone for the repair - no wonder why people want an alternative. I get it that the security feature is compromised - so at least offer people their phone function without the fingerprint detector

 

[Deuce on the Clock]

It's not just 3rd party vendors that can brick the phone. If the "genius" doesn't calibrate the device in store, it bricks it also. It's happening at some Apple stores.

 

[S.B.G]

Mod note: Many posts were removed for being off topic and argumentative. Please stick to the topic of the Error 53 issue.

 

[IGI2]

The software quirk is what they are doing now. iPhones that worked with iOS8 no longer work with iOS9 with no warning or notice - nothing in the release notes or TOS warned of this. Rather than introduce a heavy-handed approach, Apple could have just isolated the offending feature. I know there are many low income people that rely on donated iPhones as their sole means of accessing the internet, phone, or accessing 911. These are also the people that would probably go to a third-party repair shop if something breaks. If Apple wants to be so heavy-handed with this, they should provide free touch-ID replacements to all affected users.

Remember when Microsoft first introduced Activation, and told people that new copies of Windows would stop working after 2 months unless activated within that time frame? People on this forum and nearly everywhere else were screaming unfair, what if I'm in the Sahara desert for 3 months? How dare Microsoft disable all use of my laptop if I'm in the Amazon rain-forrest without a way of activating? This is the same thing - how dare Apple disable a perfectly good working phone just because someone isn't near from an authorized repair shop or is unable to purchase a new phone?

This is nothing like a quirk.

They just fixed the bug which fake Touch ID used to replace the Touch ID with its cheaper counterpart and they just rolled id out. Maybe they didn't expect that so many iPhones had had their home buttons replaced.
[doublepost=1454932299][/doublepost]

That analogy fails on many levels, the least of which is it's relevance to the topic. I don't think you read the entire article or you didn't understand it. When the guy got his phone fixed with unauthorized parts, the phone worked. Just like it used to work. So in his instance, what you claim as a security feature, it didn't do what you described: if true, lock the device. Where's the security? Unauthorized parts installed. Phone works fine.

Error-53 kicked in when he responded to the request to update his phone. If he hadn't updated, he could still possibly have a working phone, with unauthorized parts. I understand the security rationale behind Apple's explanation. I agree with the rationale as well. It just didn't work until the guy updated. If that update is required before the security kicks in, that's not exactly security in the purest sense.

It's the same situation as it is with jailbreak. It works right? But with the newer and better secured software it stops...

 

[primorack]

Most of you say "Why they brick the devices". The reason is not only for your safety, its about their safety too. Their services can be compromised by that third party part. And since this is directly connected to Apple Pay, there is just nothing more to say. If this gets compromised we'll have similar situation in terms of finance to vw's dieselgate.

 

[b0fh666]

just disable the compromised services.

'your touchid is not genuine and cannot be used for apple pay'. see? nobody would have a problem with that.