Apple backpedals on breaking Face ID after third-party iPhone 13 screen replacements, will release a software update to no longer require a microcontroller swap
A software update is on the way that won't require repair shops to transfer a microcontroller
The VergeJay Peters
Context & Ripple Effects
Apple had already expanded its independent-repair program from iPhones to Macs, but the iPhone 13 screen-replacement problem exposed a technical barrier that still left many third-party shops unable to preserve a core phone feature. The update removes that barrier through software rather than requiring a board-level parts transfer.
The move fits a broader progression in which Apple has adjusted repair policies: later coverage describes Self Service Repair and support for used parts in newer iPhones, making this reversal an early step away from repair workflows tied to proprietary component pairing.
First-order effects
Independent repair shops replacing iPhone 13 displays will no longer need to transfer a microcontroller to keep Face ID working once Apple ships the update.
Apple eliminates a repair-specific failure point that had made third-party screen work materially more difficult than a conventional display swap.
Second-order effects
Third-party repair shops can offer iPhone 13 screen replacements with less specialized labor and lower operational friction, increasing pressure on Apple-authorized repair channels for this repair.
The change gives Apple a software-led way to resolve a repairability dispute without redesigning the iPhone 13 hardware or changing the screen itself.
Third-order effects
Apple's repair policy is moving from tightly coupled parts-and-software restrictions toward selectively opening repair paths, a direction reinforced by its later used-parts policy for newer iPhones.
If Apple continues resolving pairing barriers through software updates and repair programs, independent repair access will depend less on informal technical workarounds and more on Apple's published support rules.
The trend: Apple is incrementally shifting iPhone repair from proprietary component-pairing constraints toward authorized software and parts pathways that can accommodate independent work.
We joined repair shops in calling out Apple's Face ID ransom—and it might have worked. But they, and others, will keep trying this until we really stop it. https://www.ifixit.com/...
@MacRumors @julipuli Good, but they are gonna try again in the near future, google pixels are disabling components changed, Samsung is going in the same route, this is a industry wide problem and we as consumers and repair shops need to push back
I love me some Apple computers/phones but I really hope to see them move towards a more robust repair it yourself stance. Right to repair is something we all need to be pushing for. https://twitter.com/...
Kudos @kevinpurdy and @iFixit for embarrassing Apple into agreeing to make it possible for iPhone 13 owners to replace broken screens, which should be step 1 for any consumer electronics company that claims to care about the environment https://www.theverge.com/...
Last month, Microsoft agreed to make its devices easier to fix, the first time a US manufacturer agreed to change its repair policies due to investor pressure. https://www.getrevue.co/... This month, Apple is making the iPhone (slightly) easier to fix. Right-to-repair is winning.…
According to @theverge, Apple has caved on iPhone 13 screen repairs. I'm sure that Right to Repair laws pending in 27 states had some influence on their thought process. https://www.theverge.com/...
Good on Apple for listening and *understanding* the feedback on why the original implementation of Communication Safety was problematic, and removing the off-device notification option More like this, please! https://t.co/AhrDsnsPUO