New Delhi: According to an inquiry into the security precautions put in place by the tech giant for its latest range of phones, the iPhone 13 disables Face ID if the screen is replaced by a third-party repair shop.
The analysis, conducted by prominent DIY and repair YouTube channel iFixit, discovered that the Face ID function will not operate if the repair is performed without using Apple-approved tools.
“This unprecedented lockdown is unique to Apple. It’s totally new in the iPhone 13, and hard to understand as a security measure, given that the Face ID illuminator is entirely separate from the screen,” writes iFixit’s Kevin Purdy.
Third-party repair businesses have already chastised Apple, accusing the Cupertino-based company of making it difficult to repair their devices on purpose.
“It is likely the strongest case yet for right to repair laws. And it’s all because of a chip about the size of a Tic-Tac, tucked into the bottom of a screen,” Purdy said.
Customers’ freedom to have their gadgets repaired where they wish is at the centre of the “Right to Repair” movement led by third-party repair companies.
Apple does not want to relax its grip on the repair business, both for security reasons and as a money stream.
Consumers are concerned about the copy-cat effect. Samsung has already made it more difficult to fix its devices.
If repair businesses want to work on Apple devices in the future, they must join Apple’s network, which has been chastised for placing demands on shops in return for Apple-certified tools.
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