The latest software update for iPhone 6 handsets is allegedly rendering the devices useless if it detects that a repair to the phone has been carried out by a non-Apple technician.
The Guardian reports that users’ phones were disabled after the Touch ID home button was repaired by a non-Apple engineer.
The problem, known as “error 53”, has appeared in Apple products before, and the issue appears to arise once devices have been updated to the latest operating system, iOS 9.
In its report, the Guardian cites the experiences of a freelance photographer, Antonio Olmos, who says the problem occurred on his phone after he upgraded its software.
“When Olmos, who says he has spent thousands of pounds on Apple products over the years, took it to an Apple store in London, staff told him there was nothing they could do, and that his phone was now junk,” the paper notes.
Many iPhone 6 customers have been discussing error 53 online.
Apple say that iPhone software checks whether any repairs were authorised by Apple.
An Apple spokeswoman said:
We protect fingerprint data using a secure enclave, which is uniquely paired to the touch ID sensor. When iPhone is serviced by an authorised Apple service provider or Apple retail store for changes that affect the touch ID sensor, the pairing is re-validated. This check ensures the device and the iOS features related to touch ID remain secure. Without this unique pairing, a malicious touch ID sensor could be substituted, thereby gaining access to the secure enclave. When iOS detects that the pairing fails, touch ID, including Apple Pay, is disabled so the device remains secure.
When an iPhone is serviced by an unauthorized repair provider, faulty screens or other invalid components that affect the touch ID sensor could cause the check to fail if the pairing cannot be validated. With a subsequent update or restore, additional security checks result in an error 53 being displayed. If a customer encounters an unrecoverable error 53, we recommend contacting Apple support.
Apple did not go as far as acknowledging that there was no possible recovery once the issue has occurred, but simply advised affected users to contact Apple support.
Mentions of “error 53” have been around since at least last April, where some users have encountered the issue in software updates as early as iOS 8.3.
