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varnxl

Suspended
Original poster
Oct 9, 2019
8
30
Why do people buy used or refurbished iPhones since the FaceID parts may be aftermarket or third party and not have the original and genuine FaceID parts? Wouldn’t that be unsafe and cause injury to your eyes and skin? How are the people all over the world that use refurbished or used iPhones not blind since if the FaceID parts are aftermarket, it could damage their eyes, especially if they use the device unknowingly day to day and didn’t know the FaceID parts were not the original and genuine ones?
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
28,821
26,931
Why do people buy used or refurbished iPhones since the FaceID parts may be aftermarket or third party and not have the original and genuine FaceID parts? Wouldn’t that be unsafe and cause injury to your eyes and skin? How are the people all over the world that use refurbished or used iPhones not blind since if the FaceID parts are aftermarket, it could damage their eyes, especially if they use the device unknowingly day to day and didn’t know the FaceID parts were not the original and genuine ones?
????

I buy phones from my carrier every 2.5 to 5 years. Maybe not the latest model (my last purchase was the 11PM in February 2021) but still new.

If I need to replace it, I go to Apple where they give me a 'remanufactured device'.

Should I ever buy a 'refurb' device though, it'd be from Apple. Surely, you don't have an issue with refurbs direct from Apple.

I have bought a used iPhone off eBay before though, and a used iPhone from a member here and one on Reddit. They were all bought years after being sold new for around $25 each.

Last I checked though, a 3GS, a 4 and a 4s didn't have FaceID.
 

Andeddu

macrumors 68000
Dec 21, 2016
1,643
2,043
Why do people buy used or refurbished iPhones since the FaceID parts may be aftermarket or third party and not have the original and genuine FaceID parts? Wouldn’t that be unsafe and cause injury to your eyes and skin? How are the people all over the world that use refurbished or used iPhones not blind since if the FaceID parts are aftermarket, it could damage their eyes, especially if they use the device unknowingly day to day and didn’t know the FaceID parts were not the original and genuine ones?
Try harder next time…
 

okkibs

macrumors 6502a
Sep 17, 2022
904
863
What aftermarket FaceID parts are you even talking about? Refurbished almost always just means someone dusted the device off and made sure it powers on. Refurbished is usually a scam to get more money since it sounds good to say it's refurbished, rather than used in good condition. The exception is Apple certified refurbished from the Apple Store where the devices are actually refurbished.
 

varnxl

Suspended
Original poster
Oct 9, 2019
8
30
Please point us to those who were harmed as that seems to be such a big impact.
I am not saying they were. I am saying how do people that buy refurbished iPhones know the Face ID parts are the original and genuine parts and not aftermarket and unsafe parts? Like the dot projector and IR camera?
 
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ericwn

macrumors G4
Apr 24, 2016
11,843
10,438
I am not saying they were. I am saying how do people that buy refurbished iPhones know the Face ID parts are the original and genuine parts and not aftermarket and unsafe parts? Like the dot projector and IR camera?
They very likely have no insight into the parts being genuine or not, just like when purchasing anything else used. Exception: buy refurbished from Apple directly.
 

WishyWashyUK

macrumors member
Oct 23, 2021
68
87
I am not saying they were. I am saying how do people that buy refurbished iPhones know the Face ID parts are the original and genuine parts and not aftermarket and unsafe parts? Like the dot projector and IR camera?
You can check the service history in iOS and see if it’s been serviced and if they used genuine Apple parts 👍🏼

 

asdex

macrumors member
Sep 14, 2021
54
528
Why do people buy used or refurbished iPhones since the FaceID parts may be aftermarket or third party and not have the original and genuine FaceID parts? Wouldn’t that be unsafe and cause injury to your eyes and skin? How are the people all over the world that use refurbished or used iPhones not blind since if the FaceID parts are aftermarket, it could damage their eyes, especially if they use the device unknowingly day to day and didn’t know the FaceID parts were not the original and genuine ones?

Seems ChatGPT is not the only instance suffering from flawed "knowledge" input …
 

one more

macrumors 601
Aug 6, 2015
4,524
5,690
Earth
I am not saying they were. I am saying how do people that buy refurbished iPhones know the Face ID parts are the original and genuine parts and not aftermarket and unsafe parts? Like the dot projector and IR camera?

You can find a reputable seller (business) giving you a warranty on everything they sell? Some of them give you 12 or 24 months. If you are very concerned, you can also buy an older device from Apple themselves. Right now, for example, you could buy iPhone 12 for 599$, which is a pretty good value.
 
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varnxl

Suspended
Original poster
Oct 9, 2019
8
30
They very likely have no insight into the parts being genuine or not, just like when purchasing anything else used. Exception: buy refurbished from Apple directly.
Then you are confirming that you can use third-party and aftermarket parts for Face ID, right? Everyone else on iFixit and other iPhone forums say you cannot because Face ID will not work without the original parts. I’m surprised you know something they don’t.
 

varnxl

Suspended
Original poster
Oct 9, 2019
8
30
You can find a reputable seller (business) giving you a warranty on everything they sell? Some of them give you 12 or 24 months. If you are very concerned, you can also buy an older device from Apple themselves. Right now, for example, you could buy iPhone 12 for 599$, which is a pretty good value.
I just don’t understand why many people have told me you cannot use aftermarket or third-party Face ID parts, and still have working Face ID. Then another user here on this thread says you can use aftermarket Face ID parts and they don’t have to be genuine original.
 

Ctrlos

macrumors 6502a
Sep 19, 2022
840
1,867
I have never in all my years heard of an aftermarket iPhone with a replacement FaceID module and certainly one that damaged someone's eyes.

As someone who buys a lot of 2nd hand phones I tend to stick with the iPhone because you can see what wear and tear the battery has had and also its easy to find a place to fit a replacement. Most Android devices don't offer a health feature and software updates can kill battery life. This has been the case on every 2nd hand Google phone I have ever owned (5 devices). You have better luck picking something that had a 4500-5000mah battery within the last 2 years.
 

Fruit Stand

Suspended
Apr 25, 2016
136
217
YYZ
Why do people buy used or refurbished iPhones since the FaceID parts may be aftermarket or third party and not have the original and genuine FaceID parts? Wouldn’t that be unsafe and cause injury to your eyes and skin? How are the people all over the world that use refurbished or used iPhones not blind since if the FaceID parts are aftermarket, it could damage their eyes, especially if they use the device unknowingly day to day and didn’t know the FaceID parts were not the original and genuine ones?

I am sorry but where did you hear or learn that after market parts may cause Face ID to blind the user?

It literally uses an infrared light for a split second to do its job and unless you’re in pitch black conditions you’d never see it or spot it.

Fake news 📰
 

ericwn

macrumors G4
Apr 24, 2016
11,843
10,438
Then you are confirming that you can use third-party and aftermarket parts for Face ID, right? Everyone else on iFixit and other iPhone forums say you cannot because Face ID will not work without the original parts. I’m surprised you know something they don’t.
I confirmed nothing. You want to be on the safe side, but from the manufacturer with warranty. You want to gamble and risk your luck, buy second hand.
 

Jackbequickly

macrumors 68020
Aug 6, 2022
2,442
2,495
Then you are confirming that you can use third-party and aftermarket parts for Face ID, right? Everyone else on iFixit and other iPhone forums say you cannot because Face ID will not work without the original parts. I’m surprised you know something they don’t.
I can guarantee it will not hurt your eyes or burn your skin but not that it will work.
 
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RinkDinkus

macrumors member
Mar 30, 2022
70
84
Instagram: maxzeuner
The OP has me one step closer into believing “Dead Internet Theory”

But for one I will say that the iPhones are to the point where they’ve gotten so good that you don’t even need to have the latest and greatest to have a good experience. I upgraded from a XS to a 14 Plus and can’t tell the difference in speed. The only thing that is different noticeably is battery life and screen size, but that’s just because the device is physically different. People shouldn’t need to buy the latest and greatest every year/ 2 years
 

AlixSPQR

macrumors 65816
Nov 16, 2020
1,015
5,359
Sweden
I don't buy used iPhones since they're IMO almost invariably sold when there's something wrong with them. Or they are dodgy overall. People just keep the good ones.
Refurbished from Apple is another matter, but Apple hasn't given us that opportunity here in Sweden. But there are new but older models for a reasonable price.
 

Unami

macrumors 65816
Jul 27, 2010
1,357
1,564
Austria
Afaik there's no such thing as working third party faceID-components. People buy used iPhones because they perceive them as having better value than new ones.
 

floral

macrumors 65816
Jan 12, 2023
1,010
1,230
Earth
If I recall, face ID technology does use lasers to turn your face into a secure and recognizable projection, but they are very weak and harmless regardless of how long they are used or how forcefully they are exerted. You wouldn't feel a thing even if they were amped up by 10x.
 
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