iPhone 13's Face ID Might Break If Display Is Replaced By A Third-Party
Replacing the screen on an iPhone 13 appears to stop Face ID from working, even if the new screen is a genuine and original Apple product.
Tests conducted by a YouTube channel suggests that
getting a third-party repair shop to replace the screen on Apple's
iPhone 13 might cause Face ID to stop working completely. Apple has always
been averse to the idea of third-party repairs and the company has often
faced severe criticism from right-to-repair advocates over its
policies and approach to outside repairs. The latest video and its
takeaways are unlikely to lessen those criticisms.
Apple unveiled the iPhone 13 series during
its 'California Streaming' event earlier this month. The devices bring big
improvements to the cameras and displays, especially with the inclusion of the
macro photography mode and a 120Hz refresh rate. That said, most of the improvements are largely evolutionary rather
than revolutionary, which means they will only appeal to folks looking to
upgrade from the iPhone 11 or older.
According to the Phone Repair Guru YouTube channel,
replacing the screen on the iPhone 13 causes Face ID to stop working, even if
the new screen is a genuine and original Apple product. In the video, the host
swaps out an iPhone 13 display with another one from an identical iPhone 13
unit. Following the switch, the
Face ID function stops working completely. This is in spite of the
fact that none of the Face ID hardware is fused with the display pane
Replacing the microphone, ambient light sensor, and
proximity sensor assembly does not break Face ID, but changing the display
inexplicably shows an error message and blocks the identification
feature from working, forcing the user to resort to a passcode to
unlock their phone. As seen in the video, the error message from Apple
reads: "Unable to verify this iPhone has a
genuine Apple display." Even trying to reset Face ID
generates an error, which says "Face ID is not available.
Try setting up Face ID later." In the video, both the
displays involved are said to be genuine and authentic Apple products that
shipped with two identical iPhone 13 units. While there's a chance it is only a
bug that Apple will fix with a future update, it is also likely that it is an
intentional barrier that prevents users from taking their device to third-party
repair shops.
Phone Repair Guru does
explains that transferring some chips to the new screen may bring back Face ID,
but the process is apparently "too sophisticated" for
most repair shops, making it a service they are unlikely to provide. Apple has
not yet issued an official statement on the issue but, based on the company's
history of fighting
against third-party repairs, it won't be a major surprise if this is just
another move in that direction.
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