The nightmare continues
To my surprise, the last steps were the most irritating. When we turned the phone back on, a warning message appeared that the battery and screen had been replaced with unknown parts. This was annoying because the battery was an original part ordered from Apple. The screen was also authentic, as it came from another iPhone.
But to complete the repair, Apple requires anyone using the self-repair program to perform a “system setup,” which involves calling an external customer service representative to confirm the part’s serial number and pair it with the phone. Only then is the repair authenticated and the warning message disappears.
Apple’s self-repair website led me to an online app to chat with a representative. There, an employee named Carlos asked me to plug in the phone and hold down three buttons to enter a diagnostic mode.
I have tried this step several times. Nothing happened.
Carlos pasted the same instruction with the buttons. I tried again. Once again. It was only after consulting an online forum where someone had posted another step that I was able to start the diagnostic mode.
Over 30 minutes later we were done. The unknown battery warning message has disappeared.
Feedback for Apple
Apple said it welcomed feedback as it continued to develop the self-repair program. So here’s mine. Like any new tech gizmo, this program is a fledgling product with pros and cons and the potential to be much better.
There are some benefits that will lead to cheaper, higher quality repairs for everyone. Now all independent repairers, including Mr. Taiyab, can access Apple’s tools. (He said he’d probably buy Apple’s press to seal iPhones.) And anyone can now read the official instructions on how to make repairs, which eliminates the guesswork.
But the whole experience was far from easy, and even for those who try, Apple exerts too much control by demanding approval of its repairs. If we install Apple parts, like a working screen from another iPhone, they should work – period.
