Apple deserves credit for Face ID, but it also deserves fierce condemnation for its atrocious handling of third-party repairs. Simply changing the screen without a licensed Apple Care technician — and costly, genuine Apple parts — could result in poor multi-touch support, non-functional True Tone, ambient light sensor malfunctions, and a bevy of other issues. And that’s only the screen. Users get similar problems when replacing batteries, or even swapping out the logic board with an identical one from the same iPhone model. iPhone X users can now get Face ID repairs more easily, but that’s after years of needing to replace the entire phone when a problem with it arose.
Let’s not beat around the bush, here: Apple is strongarming you into paying an arm and a leg for its costly repair services. And if you don’t pay, you risk being deprived of basic phone functionality like Face ID.
Therefore, it’s important to be extra cautious with third-party repairs. You may save money, sure, but the software misery may not be worth it. Your TrueDepth camera may work just fine, but replacing a seemingly unrelated part — such as a cracked display — could still cause Face ID to stop working. Biting the bullet and paying Apple Care’s extortionate premium is your most reliable option. At the end of the day, this sort of anti-consumer nonsense may not make Face ID a compelling enough reason to stay with Apple over competitors like Samsung and Google Pixel.
