Apple releases fix for iPhone-bricking Error 53

[Yummychickenblue]

Source

 

Many iPhone users were affected by “Error 53” after the Touch ID / Home button on their handsets were repaired by non-official technicians. And some users experienced “Error 53” only after installing iOS 9 even though their devices may have been working for months since the repair was made. Not only did those iPhones become “bricked,” but the photos and data on those devices were not recoverable. Apparently, Error 53 was supposed to be a factory test that was not intended to affect customers. The error message typically said: “The iPhone ‘[iPhone Name]’ could not be updated. An unknown error occurred (53).”

If you had gotten your iPhone 6/6+/S' home button repaired by a 3rd party repair service than the next time you updated iOS you would get an error, 53.

 

However, the patched version of iOS 9.2.1 will not permit Touch ID to start working again unless it has been verified by an official Apple technician. If your iPhone Touch ID button has been repaired by a non-official technician, then you should take it in to an Apple repair center to verify that it is properly secured. There are shady technicians out there that could allow malicious access to your data otherwise.

This is similliar to how the iPhone 5S worked. If you repaired the home button then TouchID wouldn't work.

 

Apple issued an apology about Error 53 in a statement. “We apologize for any inconvenience, this was designed to be a factory test and was not intended to affect customers. Customers who paid for an out-of-warranty replacement of their device based on this issue should contact AppleCare about a reimbursement,” said Apple via TechCrunch.

 

 

Well this is good news for everybody involved. AFAIK phones previously experiencing Error 53 can also be updated to rectify the issue. That apology and bit about Error 53 being a factory test seems like damage control though.

 

 

 

[Curufinwe_wins]

Good move.  No reason  for it to have happened in the first place but better late than never. 

[suicidalfranco]

repost

 

[Yummychickenblue]

1 minute ago, suicidalfranco said:

repost

 

thanks for taking the time out to link the OP and report this one so that the threads could be merged or something M8. You really should be commended

[suicidalfranco]

2 minutes ago, Yummychickenblue said:

thanks for taking the time out to link the OP and report this one so that the threads could be merged or something M8. You really should be commended

 

there you go