Apple is making a notable change to the repair process for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Starting this week, Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers can now repair Face ID and TrueDepth issues without having to replace the entire iPhone.
Apple announced this news in an internal memo, seen by 9to5Mac.
Apple can now fix iPhone 14 Pro Face ID issues
The TrueDepth camera module consists of all the components for Face ID and the front camera. It’s a component that’s essential to the iPhone’s functionality, so if it fails, it needs to be fixed pretty much right away.
For years, if your iPhone’s Face ID or front camera failed, you’d have to get the entire device replaced, as Apple didn’t have a way to do same-unit repairs for the TrueDepth module. This changed last year when Apple started doing the same-unit repairs for the TrueDepth module on the iPhone XS and newer.
Once a new iPhone launches, however, it usually takes Apple several months to ramp up its support channels to perform certain repairs. When the iPhone 14 lineup debuted last fall, for example, Apple wasn’t yet able to perform same-unit repairs for the TrueDepth Camera.
In a memo to employees this week, seen by 9to5Mac, Apple announced that same-unit repairs are now available for the TrueDepth camera module on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. This means that if Face ID or another part of the TruthDepth module fails, Apple Stores and Authorized Service Providers can now replace just that component rather than the whole device.
Depending on the exact problem and other issues the iPhone may have, a same-unit repair might not always be an option. The company says employees should always follow the guidance provided by the Apple Service Toolkit 2 diagnostics system.
The same-unit repair option for the TrueDepth Camera is currently not available for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. Apple says it will inform its teams at a later date when this is available.
The company describes same-unit repairs as “the best way to contribute to Apple’s ongoing work to give our products a longer life.”
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