Apple’s iOS 9 update has a little-known feature that disables iPhone 6 and 6 plus handsets that have been repaired by non-Apple technicians.
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Thousands of complaints about Error 53 messages from iPhone 6 users had reported their devices were now “useless bricks” on Twitter and on Apple’s online support forums.
It affects iPhones where the home button with touch ID fingerprint recognition built in has been repaired by a third party.
The tech giant said if the iOS finds a mismatch between the TouchID sensor and other components of the device, the check fails and the sensor, including for Apple Pay use, is disabled. Customers are reporting that they haven’t gotten any help from Apple Support, and are usually turned down for warranty claims as the phones are visibly broken.
Mac Rumors also reports that an Apple representative has commented on it, saying that this occurs when replacement parts not issued by Apple are put into the iPhone unit, which then causes Error 53.
However, as third-party software has been installed on the device, this breaks Apple’s terms and conditions for the handset, forcing users to fork out for the cost of a brand new phone.
If a mysterious error code called “Error 53” pops up on your iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, brace yourself.
So the bottom line is, if you have an iPhone with touch ID fingerprint recognition, and have it repaired at an unauthorised repairer using non-standard techniques or components, iOS9 detects this and locks everything down as a security measure.
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An error that forces iPhones to shut down and never wake up was built to ensure that they remain safe, Apple has said. By all means, the evidence states that “error 53” has something to do with the new update. The bigger issue comes into play when the phone’s owner tries to restore or update the software – that process triggers “additional security checks” that seem to flag the hardware change and trigger an Error 53. However, his phone had never been repaired, and Apple Store employees had no idea what was happening. The Touch ID, if replaced, will need to be re-paired and re-validated with the motherboard and this can only be done by Apple’s authorised service centres. Also, the Touch ID technology was used on the iPad Pro, the iPad Air 2 and the iPad mini 4.
