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The repair experts at iFixit have discovered that the replacement of the iPhone 12 camera modules is blocked by Apple.
After the extensive iPhone 12 teardown iFixit has spoken out again. This time it is about the camera module of the iPhone 12 devices. According to the technicians, the camera of the new Apple smartphones cannot be replaced so easily. Strictly speaking, such a repair can probably only be carried out by Apple or authorized service providers. The reason for this is a tool that is not available to third-party providers or independent repair shops. This is what the latest blog post:
iPhone 12: Repair: Internal manuals confirmed discovery
After extensive testing, comparing notes with multiple repair technicians, and reviewing leaked Apple training materials, we've found that the iPhone 12's camera is completely unreliable when swapped between iPhones.
This latest bug, along with clues from Apple's repair guides, makes this clearer than ever: Apple, by design or neglect or both, makes it extremely difficult to repair an iPhone without its blessing. This could be a bug that Apple eventually fixes. There's even precedent for iPhone parts misbehaving when swapped between phones.
But it's also possible that Apple plans to block all unauthorized iPhone camera and screen repairs. Apple's internal training manuals tell authorized technicians that, starting with the 12 and its variants, they must run Apple's proprietary, cloud-linked system configuration application to fully repair cameras and screens.
iPhone 12 repair: Apple's in-house software is required
YouTuber Taylor Dixon also came to the same conclusion:
The iPhone 12 camera, when ported to another iPhone 12, appears to work at startup but fails miserably in actual use. It refuses to switch to the ultra-wide lens, only responds to certain camera modes, occasionally freezes, or stops responding altogether.
Furthermore, the whole thing has since been confirmed by an Apple document available to technicians. According to this, Apple's in-house cloud system configuration application is required to complete the repair or replacement. The same issue has been documented previously with Touch ID and Face ID, as these modules are connected to the Secure Enclave chip. It is unclear why the camera module now needs to be repaired in the same way. AirPods Pro on special offer at Amazon – available now. (Image: Apple)
