iPhone 12 Photographic camera Repairs Require Apple tree'south Proprietary System Configuration Tool

iFixit has discovered that it is not possible to repair the iPhone 12'southward camera without access to Apple's proprietary, cloud-linked Organisation Configuration app, raising questions over the repairability of the device.

ifixit iphone 12 camera

iFixit says that it conducted exhaustive testing, compared notes with multiple repair technicians, and reviewed leaked Apple training documents to reach the conclusion that the ‌iPhone 12‌'s camera "is entirely unreliable when swapped betwixt iPhones."

The matter was get-go addressed by Hugh Jeffreys on YouTube:

After detecting "extremely odd results" when conducting a camera repair, iFixit constitute that the ‌iPhone 12‌ camera, when transferred to another ‌iPhone 12‌, appears to work on launch, but fails in actual utilise. It reportedly refuses to switch to the ultrawide camera, responds only to sure camera modes, and occasionally becomes completely unresponsive.

iFixit besides recalled that until now, cameras have "mostly been easy" to bandy between iPhones of the same model. Although like, resolvable issues occurred with the iPhone 7 and ‌iPhone‌ 8's LCD screens and Taptic Engines, iFixit believes that there is now more cause for concern.

Apple's internal grooming guides for the ‌iPhone 12‌, seen by iFixit, reportedly said that starting with the 12, authorized technicians will need to run Apple tree's proprietary, cloud-linked System Configuration app to fully repair cameras and screens.

Although it may theoretically exist possible to complete camera and screen repairs without Apple tree's proprietary technology, iFixit is pessimistic about what the motility means for independent repairs.

Apple tree, by design or neglect or both, is making it extremely hard to repair an iPhone without their blessing... Information technology doesn't look adept for independent repair. Apple is putting still another question mark on a core component of the iPhone. Why? Why does a camera need to have its serial number authorized remotely past Apple tree only to let someone take pictures with their telephone?

It is possible that Apple could address the ‌iPhone 12‌'s camera bandy behavior with a time to come software update, but iFixit believes this is unlikely.

Taken together with the System Configuration document, and all the other bugs, tricks, and intentional lock-outs that Apple has put in the way of fully performance iPhones, we take this as a sign that things won't get any better unless there is major alter—from inside, from client demand, or from the police.

There is an statement to suggest that warning an ‌iPhone‌ owner most non-genuine parts, specially if the phone was bought used, is useful information, but iFixit notes that the camera module is non a security component.

It's a office prone to malfunction and damage, and can be harvested from otherwise-cleaved iPhones. Putting an authentication bank check on a simple photographic camera swap poisons the iPhone repair and resale market. With no obvious benefit for iPhone buyers, it reeks of greed. Or worse: planned obsolescence.

Last week, iFixit scored the iPhone 12 a half-dozen out of ten for repairability. In response to this discovery most the camera module, iFixit is now actively reevaluating how its repairability scale scores iPhones going forward.

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