If you’ve been following the news lately, you’ve likely heard of the global chip shortage that is affecting the automotive, PC, and video game industries. Unfortunately, the widespread use of microchips means that this shortage is inevitably spreading to other industries, and now that includes cell phone repair. Currently, we’re seeing higher costs for aftermarket screens, particularly those for iPhone 7 through iPhone XR. We are hoping that these increases will remain restricted to those models, however, it’s possible that more will be included if the supply issues are not resolved.

What is causing this shortage?

There are actually several different factors causing these supply constraints.

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,

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

While the Coronavirus situation continues to deepen worldwide, its effects on the smartphone repair industry are starting to fade. The factories in China are gradually working their way back up to normal operation and we have been able to maintain a steady inventory of products. That being said, each supplier’s situation is different, so there will be some parts that are less available than others- particularly high-demand or difficult-to-source replacement screens. We are working closely with each of our suppliers to make sure we get new parts as fast as they can produce them. 

These images were taken last week in Shenzhen's Huaqiangbei