In a recent blog post, iFixit has revealed an important aspect of iPhone repairability that was previously overlooked. The repairability score, traditionally based on physical design, did not account for Apple’s software-based parts pairing.

In essence, when a part is replaced on an iPhone 14, it connects to Apple’s servers to verify whether the repair has been authorized. This verification is only granted if the replacement part was acquired directly from Apple. Even if the part is an authentic Apple component from a recycled phone, it will not be validated.

What happens when a part is not validated? The consequences vary depending on the specific component. As reported by iFixit in October 2022, a non-validated replacement screen would still function but with certain features disabled, such as True Tone and Auto-Brightness. Additionally, a warning message would notify the user about the possibility of the screen not being genuine. When it comes to the battery, a warning message would appear and access to battery health and statistics menus would be disabled. The front-facing camera, on the other hand, would cease to function entirely, while the rear cameras would continue operating normally but display a warning message about using non-genuine parts during phone startup. The logic board, due to its serial number not matching the other components, would trigger various “genuine parts” warnings.