Apple is temporarily closing stores due to COVID-19

It’s no surprise, given the state of the pandemic, but Apple has closed nearly 100 stores across the US and in other regions worldwide. According to the Verge, this includes all stores here in California, as well all stores in Tennessee, Utah, and Minnesota. There are closures in other states as well, but it mostly depends on the area, as some are still operating.

It’s probably the right move, considering how many people these stores attract. Plus they were never really designed with social distancing in mind, so keeping them open does present some risk. There is a bit of a silver lining for our industry though. With Apple stores under temporary closure, there is an opportunity for independent repair shops to attract new clientele and show them the value that local shops

iPhone 12 Disassembly: What’s Different?

As noted in our last post, the iPhone 12 is impressively durable. That being said, people are people- and people break things. So it’s probably a good idea to get familiar with the new repair changes in the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro.

Now while there are many subtle differences between these models and their predecessors, there are only a few areas that we feel are important to focus on.

Opening Procedure

The process for opening up the phone is mostly the same as previous iPhone versions, save for some small details surrounding the installation layout, frame adhesive, and flex cabling.

Featured image via Apple

iPhone 12: Three Things You Should Know

You’ve probably heard by now, but the iPhone 12 was just announced last week. And as with every new iPhone, there are plenty of new features and improvements that have the potential to affect our industry (depending on what services or products you offer). However, we’ve singled out three things that we feel are particularly relevant to all repair businesses, regardless of size or specialization. Read on to learn more.

Screen Sizes

Apple has shaken up their dimensions a little this year. The newest kid on the block is the iPhone 12 Mini, which size-wise, sits right between the original SE and the new SE 2020. Unsurprisingly,

It’s official- Apple is hosting their next big announcement on September 15th, and we’re eagerly awaiting the likely reveal of the next iPhone (possibly titled the iPhone 12?). But honestly, we may not be in for much of a surprise. The iPhone 12 has been one of the most anticipated iPhones in a long time and has had many, many leaks (some dating back to the launch of the iPhone 11). So while we’ll probably have all the answers we want in a week’s time, let’s go over what we can expect to see and how it could affect our industry.

Physical Features

Four Models, Three Sizes

The past two generations have seen three iPhone models, but this year that goes up to four. Two base models (one with a 5.4” screen and another with a 6.1” screen) will feature dual-cameras, while the higher “pro” models (with 6.1” and 6.7” screens) will have triple-camera

As iPhone 11 repairs become more common, repair technicians are starting to notice the dreaded “Unverified Display” Notification. Discovered around this time last year, the notification appears specifically on iPhone 11 series phones following a screen repair. And while it’s been known for a year now, the fact that it only affects 11 series phones and later means that most technicians are only starting to come across the issue now. So what is this exactly, and what can be done about it?

What is it?

As mentioned before, this is a notification that pops up following a screen repair on 11 series devices (and newer) running iOS 13.1 (or higher). Once the device is booted with a new screen, the user is greeted with a pop-up notification that reads “Important Display Message: Unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine display.” The notification will also be present on the lock screen for 4 days, and highlighted in the Settings app for 15 days, after which it is permanently located

It’s been unusually hot lately, even for summer. From record-breaking temperatures in the west, to the gigantic heat dome that hit the southern and eastern states, the summer conditions have been a bit brutal to say the least. It’s because of these rising temperatures that our minds have turned towards batteries, and how to store them safety in this summer heat.

Those of you who remember the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, know that Lithium Ion batteries have the potential to catch fire or even explode, given the right conditions. This process is known as Thermal Runaway, and it basically boils down to a battery generating more heat than it is able to normally dissipate. This leads to further reactions that cause even more heat, and the failure grows exponentially- hence the term “runaway.” In most cases, this is the result of a manufacturer defect or physical damage that has impacted the battery. But sometimes, external factors (such as excess heat in the surrounding environment) can trigger

The 11 series charge port is one of the trickier things to repair. Like with previous models, the component’s flex is adhered to the back housing, behind many of the small parts. To replace this part, you may need to remove the display, antenna, loudspeaker, vibration motor and sim tray, as well as several shields and brackets. Needless to say, it’s a bit more complicated than replacing a broken screen. Unfortunately however, it gets worse if you’re working on an 11 Pro or 11 Pro Max.

This is because their charge port flexes are soldered to a daughterboard that is used to connect the vibration motor, loudspeaker, battery, and volume buttons. Most after-market charge ports do not include this daughterboard (which means you will need to separate it and solder it to the replacement charge port flex) and those that do are much more expensive.

One of the bigger challenges with our industry is the never-ending struggle to produce stable aftermarket parts that are compatible with the latest and greatest devices. And while manufacturers do an amazing job at meeting demand, it requires a daunting amount of technical aptitude and experience to reverse engineer these products and produce working alternatives. For parts meant for the latest new phone, this typically means high prices and lower yields. Every now and then, however, a phone comes along that makes things easy for us, and sometimes, is even good for our industry. This year, that phone is the second-generation iPhone SE.

Familiar, Pre-Existing Parts

For those of you who are scratching your head, consider the following. Most of the components in the iPhone SE are swappable with iPhone 8 parts. We are currently working to confirm the exact compatibilities, but according to iFixit, these include the front and back cameras, SIM tray, vibration motor, display,