A split second and your iPhone met His Majesty the asphalt. Mesh screen, cracks all over the display surface, peeled pieces of glass.
We are looking for a service center. Found! The price is 50-60% lower, and they also promise to supply an original screen from Apple itself, and complete the entire repair in 20-30 minutes...
Did you send it in for repairs? You were scammed at the same moment when they said that they would put on the “original”. Do not believe! Let's find out why.
There are no original displays for iPhone
Apple's policy is in complete refusal to sell original components on iPhone and iPad. It is not customary for the company to distribute spare parts between service centers.
Broken screen? Apple will offer replacement of the entire device at an additional cost. The cost of such “repairs” is much higher, but you chose the iPhone yourself - accept it.
Conclusion: The service center assures you that they will install the “original screen”? Feet in hand and out.
So what kind of screens are they giving us?
What kind of screen do we risk getting by turning to specialists for help? We've sorted out the original ones - they don't exist. Those. original screen- this is the one that is installed on the iPhone upon purchase. Service centers can offer:
Factory Chinese- an adequate display, which is manufactured on a factory scale. Remember that the iPhone (and almost all Apple equipment) is assembled at the Chinese Foxconn plant. There is no reason to worry.
"Donor" from the original- the only option to get the original screen for your smartphone, provided that the previous owner did not change the screen.
Cheap China- no comments here. Such displays are produced by small Chinese companies that assemble “original” components in the literal sense of the word “on the knee”.
The image quality of the replaced display depends on the type of matrix installed. There is also a wide range of choice:
- Used matrix removed from a donor (manufacturer: LG, Sharp)
- New matrix from LG, Sharp
- Cheap Chinese equivalent of unknown origin
The result is a significant spread of prices without any control. They may supply you with a Chinese display with a low-quality matrix, assuring you that it is original. Vice versa? You don't believe in fairy tales, do you?
Display classes for iPhone
There are several classes of alternatives to original Apple displays: each has its own quality, its own color rendition, and its own skeletons in the closet. Starting from the low-quality display to the original (best), all iPhone displays can be arranged in the following order:
5. China of unknown origin. Without clan, tribe and any guarantees.
4. Class A analogue. This will be supplied to you at most small service centers in the country.
3. AAA analogue. There are many variations: in some places the matrix is better, but the plastic is worse; others have excellent protective glass, matrix and plastic, but not very high-quality cables.
2. Analogue of the Original class. It's expensive, but it's the best you can find.
1. Original Apple display. You have one and you get it when you buy a smartphone. Take care of him.
The difference between iPhone display types is clearly shown in this table:
To enlarge, click on the image
The cost of repairing a broken iPhone screen depends on a number of characteristics of the display being installed.
Glass- the impact resistance of the entire display assembly, protection from dirt and fingerprints, and resistance to clouding also affect the price.
Matrix- color rendition, “correct” brightness and uniformity of illumination. With permission, in principle, everything is not so bad - even handicraft Chinese manufacturers adhere to it.
Plastic- after a few months it may turn yellow or white (white/black iPhone). You pay for how quickly this happens.
Loops- glitches, brakes, response speed, sensitivity - all this depends on the quality of the cables.
Metal frame- a low-quality screen may simply peel off or play immediately after replacement.
Glue- another factor on which the speed of screen delamination (the glass moving away from the body) depends.
And now the sad statistics. Most service centers prefer "AAA" or "A" class displays. They account for about 90% of repairs in Russia. The analogue of the “Original” class has long been a product of the Red Book. Finding a service center that installs such displays is not easy.
How to understand which display was suggested by the service center
It is difficult to spot a cheap fake by eye. However, there are several points that, by paying attention to, you can at least try to avoid an outright money scam.
Price. The cost of the screen is 50–70% lower than competitors’ offers, but are you assured that this is an “Original” class display? Don't believe it. Displays in this class are significantly more expensive than AAA. There is a complete gap between the “Original” and “A” classes.
Guarantee. Up to three months is the most adequate period. No one else will give it. And then it depends on your luck: either it will work for a long time and without failure, or the glass will begin to peel off, sensitivity will decrease, and the coating will peel off.
Do they offer a warranty of less than a month? Pass by.
Illumination Uniformity. Remember, the replaced “Original” class screen (yes, the most expensive one) has a uniform backlight distribution over the entire area. No “it’s darker here, brighter here, and there’s a little fog in the corners,” especially around the edges.
Immediately after installation, without leaving the threshold of the service center that provided the services, check the quality of the technician’s work. Are there any gaps, was the iPhone case bent when removing the “original” broken screen, and does the new one respond well to presses, strokes, and touches with several fingers.
Remember, if you decide to save, you risk having to spend your iPhone on regular screen replacements. It will be more expensive both for you and for the health of your gadget.
When working in a repair center for Apple equipment, you encounter various situations that can only arise with iPhone owners. Simply because no other brand existing on the market is distinguished by such a stir around its own originality. And situations can be funny.
For example, they bring a broken iPhone for repair, bought for a very decent amount. And when disassembled, it may turn out that this phone is half Chinese, and, moreover, used.
Or, it is required, and instead of a broken one, the client offers a screen module purchased with his own hands. Which, upon examination, turns out to be a Chinese production, and not of the highest quality.
Therefore, today we will talk about the pressing problem, if it is necessary to replace the iPhone display: how to distinguish the original display on the iPhone from the Chinese one. To do this, let’s look at each of the representatives in more detail.
So, we have two screen modules: Chinese and 100% original.
The main difference is the quality of workmanship. Real apples consist of perfectly precise and coordinated components of the highest quality. Therefore, if any element is wobbly or has burrs, rest assured that it came from Chinatown. However, the Chinese industry is also not standing still, so this may be all right.
Let's start an exciting game - find the differences!
Now, let’s turn both modules over to the back, the first thing the original screen can boast of is the presence of vertical, protective stripes on both sides of the display. their function is to prevent gaps on the sides of the digitizer. The Chinese, of course, have no stripes.
In the licensed module, all components are reliably protected with special stickers and inscriptions, indicating codes and serial numbers.
Next, let's look at the display and sensor cable. In the original version, both connectors must be fully marked. But the presence of data on only one loop may indicate that the sandwich is assembled. Most often it is arranged according to this principle: the display is apple, but the sensor is already Chinese. We will consider what follows from this later, but for now we will continue to look for differences.
Fortune telling by a marker strip, or test for oleophobic coating.
We are not looking for easy ways, and therefore the easiest way to distinguish the original display on an iPhone from a Chinese one has been left as a snack. It requires a regular marker. Draw a line with a marker directly along the front panel of the sensor. Let's see what happened:
- The original touchscreen has the ability to dissolve stains from touches and dirt. Therefore, the marker trace will blur into several tiny dots. Even with repeated erasing and drawing on the iPhone's touch glass.
- A good Chinese copy of an iPhone, for the first time, may turn out to be approximately the same, but during subsequent attempts to reproduce the masterpiece, the strip will remain brighter and clearer. The success of the first attempt is due to the presence on the market of all kinds of protective products that allow you to temporarily repel dirt. But with each new wipe, this layer becomes thinner and less effective.
What's wrong with a non-original iPhone display?
A specialist will immediately understand that a Chinese screen module is installed on the iPhone:
- When tilted, a trail of pixels becomes visible on the display
- In sunlight, the picture is less bright and clear
- When scrolling with your fingers, the response slows down or slips
- Light sensor malfunction
In addition to the indicated disadvantages of use, the Chinese screen also breaks much more easily than the original one, because, due to savings on materials, it has increased fragility, with significant hardness. This means that replacing the glass of an iPhone, for its owner, will happen more often.
Questions often arise about the difference between modules with different quality levels, their pros and cons.
Each service independently selects the quality level of spare parts; in order to determine this important point, detailed information is needed.
The situation with the quality of copies is constantly changing; Chinese manufacturers are constantly optimizing production and achieving improved quality while reducing prices, which makes us extremely happy as suppliers.
In general, we decided to talk in detail about the quality levels of the modules that we currently have on sale:
1) AAA copies firmly established themselves in the top sales, despite the initial flaws in quality, now they really look good if you choose the top modules from all those on the market.
It is a big misconception to think that all AAA copies are the same. Fundamental design differences in the contact area, assembly technology, glass thickness and frame gluing, functional differences - color rendering, response of the wheelbarrow, stability of the wheelbarrow during operation.
Now there is already a large selection of manufacturers:
- Tianma_1 modules have already proven themselves very well for iPhone 5/5s/5c modules, which is what we are currently loading our warehouse with. Tianma uses G+G technology, in which the touchscreen is a separate component, due to which the glass is close in thickness to the original (similar to the production technology of iPhone 4/4s modules).
Not long ago, another gradation of Tianma modules appeared: Tianma_1 and Tianma_2 - the first are tested as the best, the second as defective within a certain standard.
Another alternative to copies that have proven themselves well in practice are AAA ShenChao modules, despite the G+F technology (glass on the touchscreen) and, accordingly, thinner glass, they are characterized by high stability of operation after installation and strong gluing of the frame using cold glue.
Below we have tried to present the differences in display quality classes as simply and clearly as possible. After reading this article, you will be able to distinguish original iPhone display from a copy. This material is presented for informational purposes only and is based on our experience working with spare parts for Apple. The material contains real photos of products sold in our online store.
Advparts is not responsible for the quality and consumer characteristics of spare parts, and also does not guarantee the quality of spare parts purchased from THIRD PARTY organizations based on the information read in this material.
In total, there are 3 classes of displays in our store: Original removed, Original restored and AAA. Read more about quality classes in spare parts
General differences between the copy and the original display.
From the user's perspective on replica displays:
- worse color rendering and brightness (see photo below)
- Sensor response speed is slightly worse, BUT false alarms are possible
- The front protective glass is less resistant to damage (it breaks more often); if the top glass is broken, the sensor usually stops working
- the sensor may not respond at low temperatures and in humid weather
- worse or no oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating
Why are iPhone screen copies cheaper?
When producing copies, a different technology is used.
Original (removed and restored): The original display and touch grid are assembled, with protective glass installed on top.
AAA: The display copy is made separately; instead of protective glass, touch glass is installed. The display and touch glass are supplied assembled.
Where do the original display modules on the iPhone come from?
As you know, Apple itself does not supply components for iPhones. Therefore, all original displays are removed or refurbished parts.
Captured displays are available for iPhone 7 and later. This is a 100% original display taken from a new device. No differences from your original display.
Restored originals are produced in factories. Factories receive displays with broken front glass and undamaged displays. Using special factory equipment, the front glass, frame, and, as a rule, the display backlight are replaced. The procedure takes place in sterile rooms; the slightest violation of the technological process leads to the rejection of a large number of displays. It is impossible to carry out restoration at home.
How to distinguish an original from a copy?
For the iPhone 4 and 4S, the main difference will be the thickness of the glass in the area of the Home button (in the original, the glass in the Home area is noticeably thicker).
For iPhone 5, 5C, 5S and SE
Difference 1 (mandatory).
The thickness of the glass in the area of the Home button (the originals are thicker).
In copies, in the area of the Home button under the glass (on the back of the display), there may be a special pad that prevents the Home button pusher from falling in.
Difference 2
Difference 3 (optional, depends on the recovery technology).
The presence of the Apple logo in the upper left corner on the back of the original.
The absence of a rainbow rim and logo is not an indicator of a copy, BUT their presence indicates that this is an original display.
For iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, 6S Plus, 7 and 7 Plus
we sell original displays and AAA.Difference 1 (mandatory).
The thickness of the glass in the area of the Home button (in the originals it is a little thicker).
Difference 2 (mandatory).
The presence of the Apple logo on the display cables (both restored and removed). Please note that on displays for the iPhone 7 series, the “apples” are located on the closed part of the cable (adjacent to the backlight).
Difference 3 (optional for restored ones, depends on the restoration technology).
The presence of a rainbow rim on the original in the area of the light sensor.
Difference 4 (optional, depends on the recovery technology).
The presence of the Apple logo on the back of the original display.
Difference 5 (mandatory for removed ones, optional for restored ones, depends on the restoration technology).
Availability of grease-repellent coating. As a rule, original refurbished displays of iPhone 6 and higher have an oleophobic coating, but this is not mandatory.
Important! The absence of a rainbow rim and logo is not an indicator of a copy, BUT their presence indicates that this is an original display.
If you have any questions, you can contact us by phone, e-mail or through the feedback form.
Chinese analogues, as a rule, are externally indistinguishable from the originals, but their functionality is poorer and their performance is worse. Frequent breakdowns:
- The microphone or speaker does not work;
- display cracked;
- no wireless Wi-fi connection;
- blocking;
- no inclusion;
- Russification required;
- the battery discharges quickly;
- the flash does not fire.
For urgent repair of a copy of iPhone 6 (within 24 hours), the customer adds another thirty percent to the price from the price list. Without this additional payment, restoration will be carried out within two days. After technical operations and replacement of components, the electronic device goes to the control department, where testing is carried out, and only then to the owner.
Repair of Chinese iPhone 5s
Repairing a copy of iPhone 5 in Moscow will not cost much.
- Firstly, components are purchased from manufacturers at wholesale prices and supplied directly, without the intervention of intermediaries.
- Secondly, the workshop has its own large warehouse, where a large assortment of consumables is available.
- Thirdly, thanks to specialized equipment and the skill of repairmen, restoration is quick, and time is money.
As a result, the price in the price list for each service is minimal. The warranty is up to three years for installed elements. To use the help of the SC staff, you should leave a request in a convenient way: right here through a special form or by phone. Discounts await those who order from the site. Do not forget that only people knowledgeable in the field of electronics will be able to properly repair smartphones, giving them a new life.