Error 53 bricks iPhone 6 after updating to iOS9 if it has been repaired by a 3rd Party

[SloppyMcFloppy]

Content source

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/feb/05/error-53-apple-iphone-software-update-handset-worthless-third-party-repair

If you have had your iPhone 6 home button repaired by a third party, do NOT upgrade to iOS 9! Doing so will cause your phone to display Error 53, and according to Apple this is unrepairable and will require purchasing a new phone.

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/feb/05/error-53-apple-iphone-software-update-handset-worthless-third-party-repair

According to the Guardian,

He says he thought no more about it, until he was sent the standard notification by Apple inviting him to install the latest software. He accepted the upgrade, but within seconds the phone was displaying “error 53” and was, in effect, dead.

The problem apparently lies in the fact that the phone checks to see if the home button is the original component, and if it isn't it locks the phone out, bricking itself.

California-based tech expert Kyle Wiens, who runs theiFixit website, says this is a major issue. “The ‘error 53’ page on our website has had more than 183,000 hits, suggesting this is a big problem for Apple users,” he told Guardian Money. “The problem occurs if the repairer changes the home button or the cable. Following the software upgrade the phone in effect checks to make sure it is still using the original components, and if it isn’t, it simply locks out the phone. There is no warning, and there’s no way that I know of to bring it back to life.”

 

[Ink]

I don't see why it's a huge problem.

Buy an iPhone, you are offered Apple Protection Plan (by Apple) for an additional fee. No more expensive than Netflix.
Support - AppleCare+ - iPhone - Apple (UK)

I would trust Apple to repair my premium devices, rather than a third party. Apple also ensures your device isn't tampered.

 

[jamescv7]

Expect that as likely consequences through same logic process of jailbreak/root.

So as possible go to authorized repair center where it should have Apple approval logo.

Other smartphone besides Apple are safely to repair from third party based on my experience. Considering the fact where Apple have strong restrictions.

 

[Deleted member 178]

in US or Europe sure, you can send it to the official Apple repair center, but in some cities in some asian countries (where Iphones are very popular but cost months of salary savings) you don't have the choice to go see the 3rd party repair guy.

Apple is a brand for rich people, this shady policy just prove it again.

imagine if you favorite car vendor did the same and you are stuck in a small town after a engine issue... car broken for life...

come on Apple...

 

[Anupam]

My friend have a iPhone 5 that stopped working on 10th Month. Now he bought that from US and since he is in India now Indian Service centers are not repairing it.

So he has two choice now. Either send that device to US and get it repaired ( takes around 3 months of time ), repair it from local shop. You can imagine how life is without a phone for 3 months. So he had to repair it from local third party service center.

So it's not always that you have a choice. Enforcing on original parts and specially bricking the device reflects how money hungry such companies are. You can atleast lock it instead directly bricking it so that he would have a choice.

I don't see why it's a huge problem.

Buy an iPhone, you are offered Apple Protection Plan (by Apple) for an additional fee. No more expensive than Netflix.
Support - AppleCare+ - iPhone - Apple (UK)

I would trust Apple to repair my premium devices, rather than a third party. Apple also ensures your device isn't tampered.

Because may be you are restricting yourself within your situation only.

Suppose you have a dell laptop and the keyboard is broken. Now to repair it either will take long time or take good amount of cost and you just replaced it with local made keyboard which worked fine. Next day you saw your entire laptop is damaged because dell saw a duplicate parts and bricked the entire device. Sounds similar to something?

 

[Ink]

@Anupam Apple are responsible for their services. They are failing to provide a good quality of service for international countries.
My original post was to reflect why I think it was a Security-based decision.

 

[Anupam]

@Anupam Apple are responsible for their services. They are failing to provide a good quality of service for international countries.
My original post was to reflect why I think it was a Security-based decision.

I agree with you. But don't you think it's better to lock it instead of bricking it? There might be thousand of reasons someone is going for local made home button. But for that bricking the entire device is point less.