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As Australia’s only national phone repair service, we’ve heard all the myths and fallacies when it comes to phone repairs. While many hold a grain of truth, most are runaway rumours at best, and at worst, simply urban folklore. Here’s a few of the common myths we hear every day.
Only an Apple Store Can Repair iPhones (Properly)
While it would initially make sense the manufacturer of a device is the best option for a repair, this isn’t necessarily the case. There’s a huge industry surrounding iPhone repair, which means there’s some extremely competent and reliable third-party repair services available. The trick is choosing a third-party repair service with a solid reputation. You’re best to do some research, read the repair service’s online reviews, and ascertain firstly if the reviews are real – not produced by a bot or AI generated. Then, of course, check if the reviews are favourable overall. Google and Product Review are great places to start. Sure there’ll be a few bad reviews amongst the good ones, but you can usually read between the lines on those. Pay attention to the repair service’s replies, too. You’ll quickly sort the good guys from the bad.
Of course you can take your device to any number of Apple Stores to repair your device, but you may find there’s quite a wait time (you want your phone repaired today, right?).
For a quick turnaround time and on-site repair, try our come-to-you repair service.
MYTH: BUSTED
It’s Safe to Use Any Charger or Cable for Charging an iPhone
No. It isn’t. Made for iPhone (MFi) certification was created by Apple to ensure compatibility and interoperability between third-party accessories and iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices. This includes chargers, charging cables, even headphones for catching up on all the Tina Turner tracks you think you may have missed.
MFi certified charging products are verified to include features such as overcurrent and short circuit protection, amongst other manufacturing assurances. Short circuits can lead to overheating, fires, or damage to the device, while overcurrent protection monitors the charging process and prevents excessive current flow, which can lead to overheating and consequent damage of the device.
Ever used a cheap charger and noticed touch on your iPhone or iPad screen is behaving erratically? Throw that charger in the bin – it isn’t MFi certified.
MYTH: BUSTED
DIY Repairs Are Easy and Cost-Effective
Yes and no. Some iPhones are easier than others to repair at home. Changing a battery in an iPhone 8 or iPhone SE 2020 is way easier than changing a battery in an iPhone 11 Pro. Changing a screen on an iPhone 6 is heaps easier than swapping a screen on an iPhone SE 2022. The cost effective portion of the DIY scenario relies entirely upon whether you get it right the first time. Damage something else in the device and you may very well be up requiring further, more expensive repairs, or completely destroy your iPhone – hardly ‘cost effective’. Check one of our previous blogs on DIY repairs and see what you think.
MYTH: DEPENDS
Third-Party Repairers Use Low-Quality Parts
We can’t deny this. Some third-party screen repairs and retail stores use some pretty shonky parts, but definitely not all. At fix2U we work tirelessly to source the best quality parts available at the best possible prices, so we can deliver high quality repairs at competitive rates. In fact we’re so confident about the quality of our repair parts we offer a 5 Year Guarantee on our repairs.
That said, there’s another huge myth surrounding part quality that’s constantly circulating, and that’s the Apple Original Parts question. Only Apple and Apple Authorized Service Providers use genuine Apple parts. Genuine Apple iPhone replacement screens are not made available to third-party repairers such as fix2U. If you are offered a ‘genuine’ Apple screen from any repairer they’re probably using refurbished screens rather than brand new third-party displays.
As for ‘OEM’ or Original Equipment Manufacturer iPhone screens, this designation typically refers to the specification. The part is manufactured to Original Equipment Manufacturer specification, not supplied by the original equipment manufacturer. There’s quite a difference, but easily confused with the idea of a ‘genuine’ part.
MYTH: DEPENDS
Water Damage is Irreparable (Apple says my iPhone is waterproof but I stuck it in rice anyway?)
The answer is “it depends”. While water damage can be detrimental to any electronic device, including iPhones, it’s not always irreparable. If you accidentally drop your iPhone in water there are steps you can take to increase the chances of a successful repair. First, if possible, turn your phone off immediately, dry it thoroughly, and get it to a professional repair service as quickly as possible. You’ll improve the odds of a successful repair process and recovery exponentially.
Here’s a little bit of the science.
Pure deionised water is an extremely poor conductor of electricity, but water from your kitchen tap or the local pool contains all sorts of impurities: chlorine, dissolved salts, even microscopic dissolved solids such as clay. Sea water is worse by a long shot. For every kilogram of seawater there’s approximately 35 grams of dissolved solids and salts. This is the stuff that conducts electricity.
So say you dump your phone in the pool, or worse, the ocean, and it starts behaving weirdly. What’s happening is the impurities in the water are causing short circuits across the logic board. The only way to stop that runaway electricity heading to the wrong places is to get the phone turned off, along with disconnecting the battery (a job for your repair technician… so hurry!).
DON’T PUT YOUR WET PHONE IN A BAG OF RICE!
Seriously, this is the worst possible course of action. What you’ll be doing is fast-tracking the evaporation of liquid from the phone’s circuitboards and settling even more of those dissolved solids onto the circuitboard, promoting even more short circuits. This makes the repair process far more difficult for the repair technician, possibly rendering your device completely irreparable. Please, just don’t.
As for your iPhone being waterproof? It isn’t. It’s water resistant. iPhones have a water resistance rating, such as an iPhone 14 Pro being rated IP68. Which means, in theory, the phone can survive a maximum depth of 6 metres underwater for up to 30 minutes. A $1399 phone 6 meters underwater. Do you really think it’s worth the risk? We don’t think so. Keep your mobile devices dry.
MYTH: BUSTED
iPhone Repairs Take a Long Time
They certainly don’t. If you’ve ever dropped your phone into an independent repair shop for a new screen and they’ve asked you to return 4 or 5 hours later, it’s likely because the repair technician has a bunch of other devices to repair before they get to yours. Most repairs take less than 30 minutes, and often far less depending on the type of repair. fix2U’s come-to-you repair service typically has an iPhone screen repair done well within a 30 minute timeframe.
