iPhone X Repair

Every time they introduce a new product, people find themselves flocking to the Apple store to purchase the latest and greatest in smartphone technology. The iPhone X is no exception. With its state-of-the-art screen and additional processing capacity, tech savvy users are finding the iPhone X is worth the hype surrounding its introduction. However, the new challenge is repairing the iPhone X. A new, better screen requires a new, better way of repairing it. That is why Forever Wireless is offering the definitive guide to iPhone X repair.

One of the biggest selling points for the iPhone X was the fact that it has an OLED display. Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED) use flat, light-emitting technology to create the picture you see. Thing films made of organic material are sandwiched between two conductors. When an electrical current is applied to the material, a bright light shines through creating a crystal clear picture. Since they do not require a backlight to create an image, OLED screens are thinner and lighter than any other screen on the market. An OLED screen can also be made transparent, flexible and resistant to breakage, making them ideal for curved phones, TV's and other displays. However, OLED screens have been known to develop a condition called "burn-in" where displays remain after the phone is turned off.

Up until recently, the iPhone has always come with a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). LCD screens are very thin, but are comprised of several layers. Two polarized panels sandwich a liquid material between. A backlight then products light through the solution creating a display. LCD's are very inexpensive to produce and easy to repair, especially since the previous iPhones have a glass on top of the LCD that creates the touch screen. Even though the display quality is great, the battery life of your phone is worse with an LCD screen since it requires a backlight to work.

The short answer to which type of display is better? It depends.

The picture quality on an OLED screen is far beyond that of an LCD screen. Viewable from any angle, the OLED screen gives you sharper photos and true-to-life movies. Best of all, since it does not require a backlight to work, having an OLED screen on your device means your battery lasts longer with each charge. The biggest downside to an OLED screen is that they are difficult and expensive to repair. Since there is no protective glass on top of the screen, breaking an OLED screen means replacing the entire mechanism. Unfortunately, suitable replacement parts are difficult to find in the market that match the original quality of an OLED screen.

Aside from the iPhone X, most iPhones use an LCD screen. Easy to replace, simple to repair and inexpensive to produce, an LCD screen offers you the opportunity to walk out of a repair store with a suitable screen, but not one that matches the OLED picture quality. By virtue of their composition, LCD screens just can't match what you will see on an OLED.

Yes, an OLED screen is repairable. However, it is more costly and technically difficult than repairing an LCD screen.

When we talk about LCD screen repair we are are usually referring to the process of replacing the glass that rests on top of an LCD screen. The components that make up the display are left largely intact while the glass and adhesive that make up the touch screen is replaced. In the case of an OLED screen, all of the components that make up the screen must be replaced. Not only do repair shops have to acquire a new OLED screen, they must be proficient at reconnecting electrical components that make the display work. However, that is not the most difficult part.

As soon as the initial demand for the latest iPhone begins to subside, factories around the world (mostly in China) begin to create what we call "copy screens". These screens are made with inexpensive parts and are designed to perform the same function as a certified Apple replacement part does. However, not all copy screens are created equal. Cheap copy screens of inferior quality have been linked to problems with iPhone function. This was especially apparent this past year when an iOS update caused replacement touch screens on several thousand iPhones to quit working altogether. Mall kiosks everywhere using cheap copy screens had thousands of unhappy customers demanding refunds for repairs that no longer worked. Since many of them were out of warranty, customers found themselves coming to us to have their iPhone repaired properly.

You see, high quality copy screens are available for a little higher cost. Forever Wireless uses the same quality replacement screen you will find at the Apple store on every iPhone generation except the iPhone X. We work with our manufacturers to ensure every copy screen we install never interferes with your phone's function. We may not be the least expensive third-party repair shop but our attention to detail wins out time and again. Remember the problem with replacement screens that caused iPhones everywhere to stop working? Not a single one of our customers experienced that problem because of our commitment to quality replacement parts. Even if they had, our one-year defect warrant surpasses what you will find in any repair shop - including the Apple store.

The challenge we run into when it comes to the iPhone X is finding an OLED copy screens. Right now, there is not an OLED copy screen available on the market that can act as a suitable substitute for what the original manufacturer produces. This means that any third-party repair shop offering iPhone X repair must purchase parts from Apple's manufacturers in order to repair an OLED screen. What results is a more expensive repair than what you can find directly from the Apple store. However, OLED copy screens are expected to come to the US market soon.

The iPhone X also presents a secondary challenge to people looking to have their phone repaired. Since the entire phone is encased in glass rather than the combination glass and plastic featured on older generation phones, Apple is requiring anyone who has an iPhone X with a broken back to have the entire glass replaced before the OLED screen can be repaired.

Up until recently, manufacturers have not been able to create an inexpensive OLED copy screen. Typically, anyone professing to repair iPhone X screens at this stage of the game is using an LCD copy screen in place of an OLED screen. These screens actually create more problems than they solve on an iPhone X. First of all, an LCD screen has an inferior picture quality to an OLED display. Second, any time you install an LCD screen you have to install a backlight as well. This makes your entire iPhone X's assembly thicker which does not fit into protective cases. As a result, an iPhone X with an LCD screen installed is more likely to experience a cracked or shattered screen than one with an OLED display. Finally, LCD screens require a backlight to work. A backlight is notorious for using a lot of battery power in order to work. That is why so many iPhone users use "auto display" to conserve battery life. As soon as an LCD screen is installed on your iPhone X, you will see an impact on your battery life.

Now that the initial demand for the iPhone X is beginning to level off and there is more than one phone on the market that uses an OLED screen, factories in China are beginning to turn their attention to creating OLED copy screens for the iPhone X. Designs are currently under way with the intention of creating a less expensive alternative to genuine Apple parts. Now that both the Samsung 8 and the iPhone X use OLED technology, the demand for this type of copy screen is growing. Manufacturers are busy trying to meet that demand by testing less expensive OLED copy screens as we speak. Once those screens are released, Forever Wireless will identify the highest quality brand and begin offering a less expensive repair alternative with a more comprehensive warranty than what you will find at the Apple store.

For now, the Apple Store is the one place you can go to receive a cost-effective, original parts repair. Best of all, if you have Apple Care and you need to have your phone replaced, you can do that right then without making an additional trip. Since there is not an adequate copy screen on the market, third party repair shops cannot offer a quality repair for a comparable price. Once a suitable copy screen comes on the market, the price of replacement screens will drop and Forever Wireless will source the best quality iPhone X replacement parts available. At that point, we will offer better repair options and a better warranty than what you can find anywhere.

However, if you do not have an Apple store nearby, if you don't mind paying a premium for on-location service, if you want a one-year defect warranty, or if you wish to make sure you can keep the data on your phone, Forever Wireless can replace your OLED screen with the same replacement part you will find at the Apple store. Be aware that since the back case is made of glass, you will be required to pay a higher price for repair at the Apple store if the back is broken. At Forever Wireless, we can repair the screen and leave the back if it is not important to you.

If you choose to have a different third-party repair shop replace your iPhone X screen before an OLED copy screen is available, be sure to ask about the types of parts they are using. One of the biggest challenges in this industry is the number of mall kiosks that simply tell you a price and time frame for your repair without addressing the type of parts used. Yet asking questions about these parts will ultimately save you time and money. Be sure any third party providers are providing you with an OLED screen rather than an LCD copy screen. If they are, expect to pay as much as or more than the Apple Store will charge for the same repair. Anything less expensive is an indicator the repair shop is using LCD. Then, be sure to ask about warranty should your phone develop problems as a result of the repair.

Right now, Forever Wireless offers repairs to any generation iPhone below the iPhone X. We even repair phones that the Apple store is no longer repairing including:

• iPhone 5
• iPhone 5s
• iPhone 4s

Many of these phones are going strong and in the hands of people who have no interest in upgrading. If your screen breaks, we will repair it where you may not find that option elsewhere.

We also offer the same quality replacement screens you will find at the Apple store for less for:

• iPhone SE
• iPhone 6
• iPhone 6+
• iPhone 6s
• iPhone 6s+
• iPhone 7
• iPhone 7+
• iPhone 8
• iPhone 8+

Our repair experts can generally repair your iPhone in less than 30 minutes. We also offer a mobile service that allows us to come to your home or office building and repair your device while you work or tend to other matters. Best of all, our repairs come with a one year defect warranty - four times longer than the Apple store. If a defect in your screen causes a problem with your phone, we will repair it for free. With stores conveniently located throughout Baltimore, Maryland, you are sure to find a Forever Wireless location near you. Call today to schedule your iPhone repair.