iPhone 13: if you change screens without going through Apple, Face ID will no longer work – Frandroid

According to two smartphone repair specialists, the screen change on an iPhone 13 carried out by a third-party repairer would lead to no longer being able to use Face ID.

The notch of the iPhone 13 Pro // Source: Louise Audry for Numerama

The launch of theiPhone 13 does not come without its share of inconveniences, such as difficulties encountered by some users to unlock their iPhone with their Apple Watch.

Recently, the YouTuber Phone Repair Guru, specialized in phone disassembly videos to better explain the repair process, pinpointed a particularly annoying concern for anyone who would like to change the screen of their iPhone 13.

The screen is problematic

In his video, he explains that any screen change on iPhone 13 that is not made by Apple directly would cause Face ID to stop working.

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On his repair table, using two open iPhone 13s, he can be seen presenting the various sensors necessary for the proper functioning of the Apple brand’s facial unlocking technology. He even goes so far as to swap the sensors to demonstrate that they are not the ones blocking the operation of Face ID.

“If you go to a repairer other than Apple, you will lose Face ID”

Because, a few minutes later, when it comes to exchanging screens, Face ID does not work anymore. He then tries to reconfigure it in the phone’s settings, but the phone tells him: “Face ID is not available”, without further details.

The design of the iPhone 13 does not change too much // Source: Apple

His conclusion is simple: “If you go to a repairer other than Apple, you will lose Face ID. “

The videographer believes that this blockage is due to two chips soldered on the lower part of the screen. He then explains that while it is still possible to exchange them from one device to another, the operation is too sophisticated for any telephone repairer.

One hope remains: that Apple will update its phone to fix the problem. But nothing is less certain.

iFixit also sees the problem

But the Youtubeur is not the only one to have made this observation in his corner. The famous repair advice site iFixit in turn let itself be tempted by the operation during one of its famous disassemblies in order, enough to support the point of the first. And iFixit’s verdict isn’t much better.

Face ID works even when we have disconnected the front sensor assembly. However, any screen replacement deactivates Face ID. We tried to transfer the sensors from the old display and transfer the Face ID hardware, but were unsuccessful. It looks like the screen is serially locked on the phone.

For this reason, but also for other concerns such as the difficulty that the replacement of the glass on the back can represent, the site thus gives the rating of 5/10 on the repairability of the last one from Apple.

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