It’s been a while since Apple has been able to get so many customers and cell phone repair shops in such a frenzy. The latest “Applegate,” known as Error 53, comes just as the company faces increased pressure by the US government to allow them access to terrorists’ phone data. Regardless of the politics surrounding Apple, I believe, for the most part, they have the customers’ best interest in mind. Bust just like buying produce from a farmer’s market, you’re always going find a bad strawberry here and there.

Error 53 occurs when an iPhone becomes bricked for “security” purposes, rendering your device useless. I put security in quotations because that’s how Apple has decided to spin it. Sure it’s for security… Error 53 came as a result of using a non-OEM home button on an

If you are in need of iPhone repairs, just remember: #DontSweatThatCrack

Error 53 came as a result of using a non-OEM home button on an iPhone. When the iPhone detects a non-OEM home button when performing an upgrade or reset, the phone bricks, making it completely unusable and unable to be restored. Apple claimed that changing out the home button was somehow putting the device at risk of being compromised. However, that is simply not the case as the home button comes married to the device when it comes from the factory. Even switching out an OEM home button for an OEM home button doesn’t compromise the phone’s security features using the fingerprint scanner. So why would using an aftermarket home button pose a threat?

Being in the repair business for many years, you see customers come in with all types of issues. Customers coming in with phones that have more than just screen damage face the possibility of having to swap out the home button. It’s one thing to disable the fingerprint scanner for security reasons, but it’s another to make a phone entirely unusable because of an aftermarket part. Does Ford shut off your engine because you don’t use “Ford” brakes? That idea seems crazy, right? Well, that is exactly what Apple was able to achieve with error 53, and more!

I have always been someone who believes that there have to be some good intentions. I must say that the more Apple exerts their control on their devices and users, the less fond I become of their product. Putting fear in the average iPhone customer’s mind that the phone could be rendered useless because of a third party repair can spread fast, causing consumers to shy away from third-party repair shops. In reality, third party repair shops are simply offering a service to customers that Apple chooses not to offer.

The repair industry is not represented by a conglomerate (yet) that can help combat the beast of a company that has more liquid than the US government. The best way to stay true to the customer is education. I have found that taking the time to educate the customer about our industry and why certain things are or aren’t possible builds a strong bond and trust that can’t be severed by an article. In fact, when error 53 was peaking, I was getting several emails per day from customers asking if they were covered and how I was weathering the storm. I assured all of our customers that we would never leave them hanging. It’s our responsibility as technicians to stand behind our work with pride. Putting in the extra effort always pays off in the long run, not to mention it’s the right thing to do. I hope as the repair industry continues to grow that all technicians commit to doing what’s best for the customer—because that also happens to be what’s best for the technician!