Is This the End of the Repairable iPhone? • Hacker News Board

Re: Is This the End of the Repairable iPhone?

#51

Post by Yetanfou » Sat, Oct 31, 2020, 10:23 AM UTC

Lio wrote: post #32

gear54rus wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The first step of the process is to not buy anything apple recognizing there hardly ever was a company more hostile to user freedom both on software and hardware side.

So what’s the alternative? Google and giving up your privacy? You might be happy with that but I’m already “voting with my feet” on that matter. There are some independent Linux based offerings now but they’re immature and going that way would mean loosing support of some third party apps that I currently need. No manufacturer is offering a perfect or even good enough product right now. You end up compromising on som…

> So what’s the alternative?

Currently: a Google-free AOSP-based distribution on one of the hundreds of supported devices.

In the future, hopefully: a free software mobile platform compatible with a range of hardware.

Google-free Android is a thing, I've been using it for about 10 years now. I do not have a Google account, there is no 'Gapps' (Google Apps) on my devices, I do not use the 'Play Store' (which is a bit of a silly name for people who speak Dutch where the word 'Play' sounds like a Dutch slang term for toilet, 'plee'), I don't use Google Search directly (it is one of the engines used in my own Searx instance, next to DDG, Bing, Yahoo etc.), no Gmail (I host my own mail), no Google Docs (or whatever it is called today, Libreoffice Online works just fine for me, hosted on my own server), etc.

Just try it for a change instead of giving up and giving either Apple or Google their pound of flesh. There is too much disinformation on the subject of mobile freedom, too much 'party politics'. There is a world outside of Apple and Google, why not give it a try instead of assuming it doesn't exist?

Re: Is This the End of the Repairable iPhone?

#52

Post by maccard » Sat, Oct 31, 2020, 10:27 AM UTC

whytaka wrote: post #35

Not too long ago, I went to the Apple store to get my MacBook Pro looked at for a faulty key and degraded trackpad. As I had a Genius diagnose the issue, the screen brightness of my iPhone 7 had dropped nearly completely. While it was true that the glass of the screen had cracked due to a fall, the phone had operated just fine for many months since. The Genius told me it was likely a display issue while I told him it…

I moved from apple to android a few years ago, hoping the grass would be greener. I hoped I was leaving behind a locked in ecosystem with hard to repair devices for a more open ecosystem where competition would improve quality.

Android is a fat mess, with flagship phones from premium manufacturers being incompatible with various OS features, and devices from different manufacturers being incompatible in ways that never happened in the iOS ecosystem.

If you want a full blown "Android" experience, you end up buying all google devices, and in my experience google support are as bad if not worse than Apple. I have a pixel 3 phone from Google that is still under manufacturers warranty. The power button seems to have gotten stuck, and maybe once or twice a day it gets stuck in a reboot loop, and in that process the phone gets _hot_ and ends up running the battery to 0. It's happened when I'm driving too.

Google's advice has been a factory reset, or a replacement device for $300. They claim I must have dropped it, or otherwise mistreated it and as far as they're concerned that's that.

So here I am, 2 years later with a $700 android phone, contemplating an iPhone 12 because the situation is no different on the other side...

Re: Is This the End of the Repairable iPhone?

#53

Post by nbzso » Sat, Oct 31, 2020, 10:41 AM UTC

I hate to repeat my self but this articles keep piling up. Vote with your money first, then if you have a way search legislative measures. They will never stop to search a way to profit more. This is just a beginning. Fully closed macs are coming. I don't care anymore for iPhones, my professional problem is with apple desktops and laptops. If we follow Apple logic in near future I will have to Jailbreak my personal computer that costs arm and a leg and cannot do 3rd party repairs on it. I am filling now very good about the decision to invest in multi platform software and avoid mac only apps. On a phone side someone suggested Fairphone (https://www.fairphone.com/en/) as an alternative. I can see a lot a value in this proposition, after rooting and removing Google crap/spyware.

Re: Is This the End of the Repairable iPhone?

#54

Post by sharken » Sat, Oct 31, 2020, 10:44 AM UTC

qz2 wrote: post #50

whytaka wrote: post #35

Not too long ago, I went to the Apple store to get my MacBook Pro looked at for a faulty key and degraded trackpad. As I had a Genius diagnose the issue, the screen brightness of my iPhone 7 had dropped nearly completely. While it was true that the glass of the screen had cracked due to a fall, the phone had operated just fine for many months since. The Genius told me it was likely a display issue while I told him it…

Honestly the bit that kills me is being thoroughly buggered for cash. And that is being forced down your neck even more regularly these days, particularly on the back of failures. When it came to upgrade time this year I skipped buying a mid-range iMac, built a hefty Ryzen desktop instead and had enough spare change to buy a Lenovo T495s. It’s phone upgrade time in January. I don’t know which way to turn yet.

In the same situation here, have an iPhone 11 that is due to be replaced.

The iPhone 12 is lighter but has worse battery life, so that one is out.

The Sony Xperia 5 II is the current favorite as it has very good battery life and no annoying notch.

And the recent Apple vs Epic case is making the switch easier.

Re: Is This the End of the Repairable iPhone?

#55

Post by csomar » Sat, Oct 31, 2020, 10:45 AM UTC

whytaka wrote: post #35

Not too long ago, I went to the Apple store to get my MacBook Pro looked at for a faulty key and degraded trackpad. As I had a Genius diagnose the issue, the screen brightness of my iPhone 7 had dropped nearly completely. While it was true that the glass of the screen had cracked due to a fall, the phone had operated just fine for many months since. The Genius told me it was likely a display issue while I told him it…

I had the same issue with the Macbook Pro battery. The laptop is just a couple months beyond the 1-year warranty and Apple did not recognize it as their fault.

Needless to say, I'm happy now with Archlinux despite it took a while to set the whole thing up. I don't think I'll be buying any more Apple laptops but for phones, I don't think Android is doing any better.

Re: Is This the End of the Repairable iPhone?

#56

Post by Lio » Sat, Oct 31, 2020, 10:47 AM UTC

Yetanfou wrote: post #51

Lio wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So what’s the alternative? Google and giving up your privacy? You might be happy with that but I’m already “voting with my feet” on that matter. There are some independent Linux based offerings now but they’re immature and going that way would mean loosing support of some third party apps that I currently need. No manufacturer is offering a perfect or even good enough product right now. You end up compromising on som…

> So what’s the alternative? Currently: a Google-free AOSP-based distribution on one of the hundreds of supported devices. In the future, hopefully: a free software mobile platform compatible with a range of hardware. Google-free Android is a thing, I've been using it for about 10 years now. I do not have a Google account, there is no 'Gapps' (Google Apps) on my devices, I do not use the 'Play Store' (which is a bit…

Which distribution would you recommend as a starting point?

My assumption has not been that Google free Android doesn’t exist but that I’d need Google’s app store to run the third party apps I need.

Specifically things it's stuff for firmware updates on stuff like Shimano Di2 or other hardware devices.

Are third parties now officially supporting other alternative app stores?

(Sorry about the questions but this is quite interesting.)

Personally I’m thinking of moving towards a non-android Linux based phone and keeping an older iPhone for these updates.

Re: Is This the End of the Repairable iPhone?

#57

Post by bartvk » Sat, Oct 31, 2020, 10:52 AM UTC

tannhaeuser wrote: post #47

Just need to look at display replacement prices, with cracked displays being the most frequent damages (aka Spiderman app). Where these used to be around 60-80 EUR for iPhone 6 (third-party replacement parts), for the X and newer it's basically approaching the price of a new device. Samsung phones, or any other modern Android phone, are just as uneconomically to repair. It seems the only thing to stop the trend for e…

There are more options. Sometimes the vendor offers extended warranty, like AppleCare. Also, some creditcards offer additional insurance, up to two years. And finally if you reall want the ultimate in repairability, there are phones like the FairPhone, or the Librem or the PinePhone.

Re: Is This the End of the Repairable iPhone?

#58

Post by toper-centage » Sat, Oct 31, 2020, 10:53 AM UTC

maccard wrote: post #52

whytaka wrote: post #35

Not too long ago, I went to the Apple store to get my MacBook Pro looked at for a faulty key and degraded trackpad. As I had a Genius diagnose the issue, the screen brightness of my iPhone 7 had dropped nearly completely. While it was true that the glass of the screen had cracked due to a fall, the phone had operated just fine for many months since. The Genius told me it was likely a display issue while I told him it…

I moved from apple to android a few years ago, hoping the grass would be greener. I hoped I was leaving behind a locked in ecosystem with hard to repair devices for a more open ecosystem where competition would improve quality. Android is a fat mess, with flagship phones from premium manufacturers being incompatible with various OS features, and devices from different manufacturers being incompatible in ways that nev…

I damaged the charging port on my android phone. I paid 20 euros plus shipping for a new bottom module and used the screw driver provided by the manufacturer to open the phone and replace it. If you care about repairable phones... Buy a repairable phone, instead of a "flagship".

Re: Is This the End of the Repairable iPhone?

#59

Post by yholio » Sat, Oct 31, 2020, 11:00 AM UTC

maccard wrote: post #52

whytaka wrote: post #35

Not too long ago, I went to the Apple store to get my MacBook Pro looked at for a faulty key and degraded trackpad. As I had a Genius diagnose the issue, the screen brightness of my iPhone 7 had dropped nearly completely. While it was true that the glass of the screen had cracked due to a fall, the phone had operated just fine for many months since. The Genius told me it was likely a display issue while I told him it…

I moved from apple to android a few years ago, hoping the grass would be greener. I hoped I was leaving behind a locked in ecosystem with hard to repair devices for a more open ecosystem where competition would improve quality. Android is a fat mess, with flagship phones from premium manufacturers being incompatible with various OS features, and devices from different manufacturers being incompatible in ways that nev…

The Android ecosystem is great for low cost devices. I have a 5 year old Samsung that still serves me great for what I need it: quick web searches, mapping and Waze, communication etc. The screen is cracked in 200 pieces, I literally stepped on it on multiple occasions, the power button has fallen off but I figured I don't really need it anyway except the rare cases where I leave it to discharge completely. Otherwise the phone is still going strong and has acceptable battery life.

Best 150$ I ever spent, I was going to replace it this year for sheer embarrassment of using such a piece of junk, and then the coronavirus happened and I don't need to physically meet any of my tech-judgmental peers.

Re: Is This the End of the Repairable iPhone?

#60

Post by albertzeyer » Sat, Oct 31, 2020, 11:01 AM UTC

whytaka wrote: post #35

Not too long ago, I went to the Apple store to get my MacBook Pro looked at for a faulty key and degraded trackpad. As I had a Genius diagnose the issue, the screen brightness of my iPhone 7 had dropped nearly completely. While it was true that the glass of the screen had cracked due to a fall, the phone had operated just fine for many months since. The Genius told me it was likely a display issue while I told him it…

Interestingly, I had a very similar issue with my Pixel 3 in the past. The display was just black and it did not responded (I thought). Restarting it displayed the Google logo and then went black again. I was outside at the time, on a sunny day. I thought about this possibility of low brightness setting, but it was so dark that I could really not see anything (even when covering it with hands, getting in a dark corner somewhere), so I thought it must be some other problem. Later when I was back home, in a dark room, I noticed that I could barely see it again. Then just setting the display brightness higher again fixed it.

I'm still not sure though if the brightness was just at the minimal level, and that is just too low outside to see anything, or if it was even lower than usual, similarly as you describe.