Before anybody decides to upgrade their device to the latest iOS 9 firmware, they should be aware that iPhone 6 users around the globe are running into a major problem when they do this. A mysterious "Error 53" message appears on the screen, which cannot be cleared or fixed, effectively bricking the device. And the only solution Apple can provide is to buy a new iPhone.
Dubbing Error 53 a hardware problem caused by the user, it's not covered in a standard warranty. If the user followed all of Apple’s standard troubleshooting steps concerning the error and it is still present, then they’re left shelling out hard earned cash for a brand new iPhone.
To make things worse, any unsaved photos or data from the device are gone forever.
So what is Error 53 and why is it popping up on devices that were working perfectly before updating?
Apparently, Error 53 deals with problems related to Touch ID. If users have cracked their screens or some other damage has happened to the fingerprint-sensing Home Button, and they take their iPhones to a non-official Apple repair shop to fix, this is where the trouble begins.
The iPhones may be working perfectly after the screen or Touch ID repair has been performed. It is only when users try to update their phones to the latest mobile operating system that they encounter the error. Taking devices to the Apple Genius Bar does no good because once the team runs the diagnostics and discovers Error 53, they swiftly let the user know the problem is on them.
But the problem is not only affecting iPhone 6 users who had their devices repaired outside of Apple’s Genius Bar. Other iPhone users whose screens have been cracked or broken also reported the Error 53 problem. In these cases, visits to the Genius Bar didn’t go much better.
According to posts on Apple Discussions forums, some users with broken screens got Error 53 and had to pay for the screen on their devices to be repaired – a US$ 109 setback - before Apple would replace the device.
The Error 53 issue has a number of loyal Apple customers up in arms over the non-replacement policy. Guardian photographer Antonio Olmos shared his Error 53 horror tale in a post on the site last 5 February.
According to Olmos he discovered the cruelty of the Error 53 issue when working a job in Macedonia. The photographer was forced to have his iPhone screen repaired outside of an Apple store because there were none in the area. Though Olmos had long been a customer of Apple, spending thousands on devices and accessories over the years, the Error 53 incident left him feeling angry and jaded.
"The whole thing is extraordinary. How can a company deliberately make their own products useless with an upgrade and not warn their own customers about it? Outside of the big industrialized nations, Apple stores are few and far between, and damaged phones can only be brought back to life by small third-party repairers," the photographer told the Guardian. "I am not even sure these third-party outfits even know this is a potential problem."
Dubbing Error 53 a hardware problem caused by the user, it's not covered in a standard warranty. If the user followed all of Apple’s standard troubleshooting steps concerning the error and it is still present, then they’re left shelling out hard earned cash for a brand new iPhone.
To make things worse, any unsaved photos or data from the device are gone forever.
So what is Error 53 and why is it popping up on devices that were working perfectly before updating?
Apparently, Error 53 deals with problems related to Touch ID. If users have cracked their screens or some other damage has happened to the fingerprint-sensing Home Button, and they take their iPhones to a non-official Apple repair shop to fix, this is where the trouble begins.
The iPhones may be working perfectly after the screen or Touch ID repair has been performed. It is only when users try to update their phones to the latest mobile operating system that they encounter the error. Taking devices to the Apple Genius Bar does no good because once the team runs the diagnostics and discovers Error 53, they swiftly let the user know the problem is on them.
But the problem is not only affecting iPhone 6 users who had their devices repaired outside of Apple’s Genius Bar. Other iPhone users whose screens have been cracked or broken also reported the Error 53 problem. In these cases, visits to the Genius Bar didn’t go much better.
According to posts on Apple Discussions forums, some users with broken screens got Error 53 and had to pay for the screen on their devices to be repaired – a US$ 109 setback - before Apple would replace the device.
The Error 53 issue has a number of loyal Apple customers up in arms over the non-replacement policy. Guardian photographer Antonio Olmos shared his Error 53 horror tale in a post on the site last 5 February.
According to Olmos he discovered the cruelty of the Error 53 issue when working a job in Macedonia. The photographer was forced to have his iPhone screen repaired outside of an Apple store because there were none in the area. Though Olmos had long been a customer of Apple, spending thousands on devices and accessories over the years, the Error 53 incident left him feeling angry and jaded.
"The whole thing is extraordinary. How can a company deliberately make their own products useless with an upgrade and not warn their own customers about it? Outside of the big industrialized nations, Apple stores are few and far between, and damaged phones can only be brought back to life by small third-party repairers," the photographer told the Guardian. "I am not even sure these third-party outfits even know this is a potential problem."
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