The repair history of your iPhone will be revealed in the next iOS version, including whether it has official replacement parts or “unknown” third-party components.
Apple released a new support document on Tuesday explaining the “iPhone parts and service history” functionality that will be included in iOS 15.2. Users will be able to access a new information panel displaying their iPhone’s repair history by going to Settings > General > About.
Was your iPhone fixed with official parts?
The most notable feature of the repair history is its ability to detect “non-authentic parts” in an iPhone. The phrase “Unknown part” will be accompanied by a warning icon on the information panel. If iOS detects a replacement part that was previously used in another iPhone, a broken component or an unfinished installation, the same warning will be displayed.
This function will come in handy if you buy a secondhand iPhone, as the information screen will alert you if the device has ever been repaired with suspect parts. Furthermore, the functionality may encourage third-party repair businesses to buy their parts from Apple rather than unlicensed vendors. Beginning next year, Apple will offer a “self-service repair” store where customers can purchase authentic iPhone and Mac replacement parts.
The iOS 15.2 update is presently being tested in the beta stage. You’ll be able to press the component to see further information, including the date of the service if your iPhone was repaired with a genuine part.
Your iPhone model, however, will limit the repair history feature. The battery, display, and camera of iPhone 12 and 13 owners will see a repair history for their device. Customers with iPhone 11s, on the other hand, will only be able to see their battery and display repair histories. Only those who have an iPhone XR, XS, XS Max, or a second-generation iPhone SE will be able to see the battery repair history.
Summing Up
Despite the planned self-service repair store, Apple still advises customers to restore their iPhones at a “professional repair provider with licensed experts who utilize genuine Apple parts.”
Replacements not performed by Apple authorized service providers or licensed technicians might not follow required safety and repair procedures and might result in faulty function or overall device safety since the device will not be at risk of data sharing being varied out by third parties. Nonetheless, Apple intends to provide iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 repair tools and manuals before expanding to Macs with Apple’s M1 CPUs.