Apple Responds to Criticism Over iPhone's 'Parts Pairing' Process

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced that customers and independent repair shops will be able to repair select iPhones with used genuine Apple parts starting later this year. Alongside the announcement, Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus spoke with TechCrunch about the iPhone's controversial "parts pairing" process.

Repair website iFixit criticized Apple's parts pairing process last year, and Oregon recently passed a law that would ban Apple from using a "parts pairing" process in the state for devices manufactured after January 1, 2025.

Ternus argued that iPhones still work with most third-party parts:

"'Parts pairing' is used a lot outside and has this negative connotation," Apple senior vice president of hardware engineering, John Ternus, tells TechCrunch. "I think it's led people to believe that we somehow block third-party parts from working, which we don't. The way we look at it is, we need to know what part is in the device, for a few reasons. One, we need to authenticate that it's a real Apple biometric device and that it hasn't been spoofed or something like that. … Calibration is the other one."

One exception is third-party parts related to Face ID and Touch ID, which do not work in iPhones for security reasons, according to Ternus:

"You think about Touch ID and Face ID and the criticality of their security because of how much of our information is on our phones," says Ternus. "Our entire life is on our phones. We have no way of validating the performance of any third-party biometrics. That's an area where we don't enable the use of third-party modules for the key security functions. But in all other aspects, we do."

Apple does alert customers if an iPhone part is not genuine. If an iPhone has been repaired, a "Parts and Service History" section appears in the Settings app under General → About, and it shows if non-genuine Apple parts have been installed.

Ternus said this transparency surrounding repairs is important:

"We have hundreds of millions of iPhones in use that are second- or third-hand devices," he explains. "They're a great way for people to get into the iPhone experience at a lower price point. We think it's important for them to have the transparency of: was a repair done on this device? What part was used? That sort of thing."

Apple says it will be expanding the "Parts and Service History" section to show whether a used part is a genuine Apple part later this year. For more details about used parts being allowed for repairs, read our earlier coverage.

Article Link: Apple Responds to Criticism Over iPhone's 'Parts Pairing' Process

 

[sziehr]

No apple, no, you do this to make money. If you only part paired the security module then we could talk, however no you pair the screen which has no security features in them and cameras....... no your doing this cause your greedy AF

 

[emmab2006]

continuing to be crap to the phone repair business. Don't lie apple this is ALL about money. nothing to do with the crap you're coming out of, get lost.

 

[that be me]

That's some ********. The problem is that "third party parts" will work, but with missing functionality, for seemingly no reason. This is true even when using parts from another brand new iPhone.

 

[AlastorKatriona]

I can't support any argument that feels that cheap aftermarket parts need to be acceptable in such a device. Especially for any critical, security component. It's just wrong, and so are the people who advocate for it.

Edit: Imagine downvoting this comment. Just imagine it. Try to imaging actually believing that knock off security components are perfectly acceptable.

 

[ThirteenXIII]

Greed or not I don’t care, I don’t want non oem parts in my stuff be it tech or otherwise. I’m tired of all these trash parts out there that are used in repairs.

 

[AlastorKatriona]

Greed or not I don’t care, I don’t want non oem parts in my stuff be it tech or otherwise. I’m tired of all these trash parts out there that are used in repairs.

Imagine thinking it's OK to pass off knock off Face ID components as real, and then sell the device to someone as if it's still an iPhone.

 

[ThirteenXIII]

Greed or not I don’t care, I don’t want non oem parts in my stuff be it tech or otherwise. I’m tired of all these trash parts out there that are used in repairs.

Plus, how can a device be oem or continue to provide authenticity if any random ass part can be used. No thank you

 

[RickDEGH]

You might not like the act, but the explanation does make a ton of sense, actually. I’d rather know a device has certain parts that are not genuine, than to have no idea at all. Often it’s the innocent less-tech-savvy people who suffer these things, not knowing what they’ve purchased is authentic or otherwise, not us on these tech forums or on YouTube.

 

[sziehr]

I can't support any argument that feels that cheap aftermarket parts need to be acceptable in such a device. Especially for any critical, security component. It's just wrong, and so are the people who advocate for it.

there is a whole delta from parts paring the true depth module and the screen or camera modules or buttons for heaven sake. Apple has grounds to stand on for those and I agree, they like always took it to far and did so out of greed

 

[mannyvel]

Those people defending "third party repairs" are full of it. You guys are substituting B/C grade parts and charging OEM prices, and you know it.

Apple isn't preventing you from doing that, Apple is preventing you from claiming your parts are "Apple Parts" and not "stuff I bought off of AliBaba."

 

[AlastorKatriona]

there is a whole delta from parts paring the true depth module and the screen or camera modules or buttons for heaven sake. Apple has grounds to stand on for those and I agree, they like always took it to far and did so out of greed

You're just wrong, on purpose. There is no other way to put it. There are plenty of acceptable replaceable parts, and plenty others that are not. It's fine that way. Claiming otherwise is baseless.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I have no problem with the announcement and what Ternus said. I want to know if a critical part (or otherwise) has been replaced and I am not willing to compromise security for the sake of a small price break from some third party vendor.

 

[Mousse]

If security and privacy is as important as they claim, Apple would build a firewall into a device that's connected to a network 24/7. The most basic network protection and Big Tech refuses to have it built into their OS.😑

The off chance someone managed to spoof your FaceID/TouchID is a bigger concern. Needing physcial access to you iPhone already makes it harder to access your info than remotely accessing your data via the Internet. Which is the bigger security hole?🤔

 

[delsoul]

Do people get this upset of Leica cameras requiring official Leica parts when being repaired? If it was my company, I wouldn’t want potential shoddy quality third party parts going on my product which may not meet my standards and also ruin my brands reputation by being ‘cheap’ and ‘unreliable’ in due to those poor third party pieces.

 

[milkrocket]

All Apple needs to do is add a "bypass pairing" button. That is all. Let people use the fake parts if they want to.

 

[spyguy10709]

I think it's led people to believe that we somehow block third-party parts from working, which we don't

There's truth, and then there's... whatever this is.

 

[centauratlas]

It would be also useful to know if the part has been used in another iPhone. Why? Because being able to reuse the parts will increase the market for iPhone sold for parts. Knowing the origin of Apple and non-Apple parts would be good.

 

[JPack]

Apple, please explain parts pairing for the lid angle sensor on a MacBook.

If you don’t pair the part, MacBook doesn’t go to sleep. It actually is a security concern because the computer says on with the lid closed, keeping the mic enabled.

 

[thadoggfather]

It is absolute BS.

The consumer can decide if they wanna risk calibration variation or 'spoofed or something like that' parts vs. not having a functioning device at all or paying a premium to let Apple deal with it.

The reason they aren't specific, just stating 'or something like that' is that they have nothing. Very poor and unconvincing messaging.

 

[spazzcat]

All Apple needs to do is add a "bypass pairing" button. That is all. Let people use the fake parts if they want to.

The issue starts when they sell that iPhone and pass it off as being genuine which it no longer is.

 

[JPack]

The issue starts when they sell that iPhone and pass it off as being genuine which it no longer is.

Apple can have a simple menu in Settings showing all the non-OEM or used parts in the iPhone.

Instead, iPhone camera and flash simply no longer works if you replace the rear glass with a non-OEM part.

 

[cicalinarrot]

Greed or not I don’t care, I don’t want non oem parts in my stuff be it tech or otherwise. I’m tired of all these trash parts out there that are used in repairs.

They’ve been there forever and always will be. There’s always a way to bypass it, it’s just way worse for both repairmen and consumers.
Find a repairman you trust or go Apple.
And please, stop talking about stuff you don’t know.
(Source: been a repairman, 3 years soldering motherboards and bringing them back to life with 3rd party chips when Apple’s solution was “buy a new phone, sucker”)

 

[TOM1211]

Just want a easy to replace battery is all I need .

 

[jayducharme]

I completely agree with Ternus regarding the importance of properly authenticated biometric replacement parts. But there are other components, like the battery, where a 3rd party replacement could work just fine. I don't think the government has that nuanced a view though.