Time to say goodbye to dodgy fake iPhone screens? (Image: Reuters)

The cheapest way to fix a broken iPhone screen has always been to head down to a dodgy shop in Dalston or wherever and ask for a quick repair.

Now Apple has introduced a new system which will stop you mending a stricken iPhone using inexpensive but unofficial parts.

If you fit a black market screen onto the recently-released iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 11 Pro Max you’ll be shown an alert featuring the words: ‘Unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple display.’

Apple said you will only see this warning if you go into its settings app, where you’ll be told off if you click ‘general’ and then ‘about’.




‘These notifications don’t affect your ability to use your iPhone or your display,’ Apple insisted.

It said dodgy aftermarket screens could stop advanced functions working properly and added: ‘If you need to replace your iPhone display, it’s important for certified technicians who use genuine Apple display parts to repair it.

‘Only technicians who have completed Apple service training and who use Apple genuine parts and tools should replace iPhone displays.

‘Replacements not performed by Apple, authorized service providers or certified technicians might not follow proper safety and repair procedures and could result in improper function or issues with display quality or safety.

‘Apple displays are designed to fit precisely within the device. Additionally, repairs that don’t properly replace screws or cowlings might leave behind loose parts that could damage the battery, cause overheating, or result in injury.

‘The iPhone display is engineered together with iOS software for optimal performance and quality. A nongenuine display might cause compatibility or performance issues. For example, an issue might arise after an iOS software update that contains display updates.’

Apple recently announced a major repair policy change which should make it cheaper and simpler to fix a broken iPhone.

Until this year, customers were forced to rely on Apple or companies it named as ‘authorised service providers’ for iPhone repairs.

But Apple announced that it will begin selling parts, tools and repair guides to independent shops so they can fix broken iPhones.

This a big u-turn for Apple which has spent years lobbying against the introduction of ‘right-to-repair’ laws in some US states.

Apple said the scheme should help ease heavy demand on Apple and partners companies to fix millions of cracked screens and fried charging ports.

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The policy change could also lead to a mini-boom for repair shops who could find they are able to offer the same repair services as Apple but at a much cheaper price for customers.

It will launch in the United States before being rolled out to other countries.

Independent repair shops will be offered official parts for out-of-warranty repairs at the same price offered to authorized service providers, such as Best Buy Inc, which perform warranty work.



Ben Bajarin, an analyst with Creative Strategies, said the move could create more opportunities for Apple to sell services or accessories if it encourages iPhone owners to hand down used phones to friends and family.

‘That helps them get the product more affordably into the hands of more customers and increases the base,’ Bajarin said.

‘Every data point seems to say, if you get someone into the Apple ecosystem, they generally don’t leave.’

Apple’s iPhone sales have declined in the past two fiscal quarters, but sales of accessories such as its AirPods wireless headphones and the Apple Watch, along with paid services like Apple Music, have helped make up for some of the revenue falls.

Independent shops have long complained that the high purchase volumes required by Apple to become an authorized service provider priced them out of the repair market.

The tech giant had previously lobbied against right-to-repair bills which would have compelled it to supply independent businesses in several US states including New York and California.

It cited concerns about maintaining a high service standard. However, earlier this year Apple allowed all US Best Buy stores to handle work carried out under warranty.

Apple said it trialled the new repair program for a year with 20 businesses across North America, Europe and Asia. It did not give a timetable for the international launches.

The new policy will allow independent stores to set their own prices for repairs and also offer cheaper aftermarket parts.

They will be required to return any collected broken Apple parts to the company for refurbishment or recycling.

The program will be free for shops to join, but they will be required to have an Apple-certified technician who has taken a free 40-hour training course and test provided by the company.