In today's blog post, we will focus more on iPhones and specifically the risks involved in purchasing used phones. The topic of Apple phones is quite popular at the moment, as many people nowadays own or want to have such a phone. Additionally, everyone wants to buy it at the best possible price. When we own or choose such a phone, it's important to know some details related to the battery, display, and its other characteristics.

1. Is my phone water-resistant?

Many of our customers who visit our physical or online stores ask us if the phones are water-resistant. When a phone is opened for repair or component replacement, it can no longer be water or moisture resistant. The reason is that when closing it after repair, the seals can no longer do the same job they did after their initial placement during the phone's manufacturing. Even if new seals from aftermarket parts are installed, we cannot be 100 percent sure that the phone will be water-resistant.

Apple, for example, never says their phone is waterproof, but rather defines it as moisture-resistant. They themselves put markers in the phone that, if wet or moistened, void the warranty.

2. Battery Tips

The topic of batteries became quite popular since Apple made an update and started showing battery health. In other words, every customer can see what percentage their battery is operating at.

When a battery replacement is necessary, there are several options for users. First, it's important to mention that there's no point in replacing a battery that is above 80% battery health. Yes, the endurance of this battery is at a lower percentage, but it can last all day and doesn't drop suddenly. We've had cases where batteries are at acceptable percentages but behave illogically, for example, dropping more sharply. In such cases, replacement is inevitable.

If the battery health of a used phone at purchase is relatively low (around or below 80%), then sooner or later this phone will need to go through service for battery replacement. When replacement is necessary, we recommend doing it with an original battery, not with an alternative Asian copy, which carries its own risks.

One of the most popular ways to shorten battery life is working (or watching videos) with the phone while it's charging. The battery itself charges, but at the same time, the phone overheats from use and the battery eventually stops working. Therefore, we recommend you put the phone aside while it's charging.

It's clear that when a battery is within normal limits, it works. But there are cases when the battery is above 80% battery health and still doesn't hold a charge and needs to be replaced. This carries its risks. When we open the phone, first we risk damaging the display. Second, we risk harming components such as antennas, Face ID camera, front camera, and possibly the motherboard. This can lead to additional more serious problems for our phone.

3. Display Tips

Similar to the battery, the quality of the original display is the highest. Here too, we encourage customers and users to keep their original display if its condition is acceptable to their understanding. Of course, this is quite subjective. There are people who don't mind having a few scratches on the display, but there are also those who are more meticulous and want their display to be like new. The colors and quality of the original display are much better, and the copy that would be installed during replacement has much lower durability and breaks much more easily.

An option is to replace only the glass if only it is broken. This would at least preserve the original colors of the display, as with copies, the quality is indeed much lower.

4. Damage after dropping

From the topic of display breakage, we can move to another related topic, namely replacing the back cover. More and more models now have a glass back. It is not recommended to replace the back cover of newer iPhone models unless it is broken, cracked, or, for example, part of the glass is missing. The reason is that removing the glass is done in a very difficult way.

The back panel itself is metal, and the glass is glued with silicone adhesive. However, parts such as antennas and the wireless charging sensor are also glued on top of it. When removing this glass, there is a very high risk of affecting one of the listed parts. The battery is also in danger as it is right next to the wireless charging sensor. With newer versions (iPhone 15 and up), Apple made it so that when replacing a component, the phone opens from the back, which is a plus.

With panels, we again have the same case – no one wants to look at a scratched or dented panel, but if replacement is necessary, it is done with an Asian copy, which will not be of the same quality as the original panel. There is also a more budget-friendly solution to this problem, namely purchasing a case or protector that will hide the traces on the panel. Functionally, the panel itself does not affect the operation of the phone. This problem is entirely aesthetic.

With older phone models (up to iPhone 11), if we have scratches or breakage of the camera, it's not a problem for it to be replaced with a budget aftermarket option. For models from iPhone 12 and up, the main camera has a chip. When replacing the camera, a message about a non-original part appears on the phone. Unlike other components, when replacing the camera, its quality is preserved. However, if the phone has been opened and not closed properly, there is a possibility of dust accumulating in the camera. This can lead to a problem with the Zoom, and the camera may start to vibrate.

We will continue the topic in the next blog post.

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