Be careful replacing your iPhone 8 screen from third-parties

You may remember a story from last year with the iPhone 7 which left devices rendered useless. This happened when the screen needed to be replaced, and users went through a third-party. It seems that the issue is back with the iPhone 8.

There have been multiple reports where the touch screen on an iPhone 8 is no longer usable after the display has been replaced. This issue began cropping up with the release of iOS 11.3.

iPhone 8 touchscreen issues and Repairability

As is the case with the displays found on the iPhone 7, the iPhone 8’s display includes a dedicated custom microchip. This chipset pairs with the display to ensure that 3D Touch properly works.

However, when the display on an iPhone 8 is replaced by a third-party, those microchips are not upgraded. While the screen will turn on, you won’t be able to interact with the device’s touchscreen at all.

On the bright side, Motherboard states that third-party repair shops have already found a workaround this issue. On the unfortunate side of things, this means that your device will have to be re-opened in order for the microchip to be repaired.

The iPhone 8 isn’t the only Apple device that suffers from these parts from third-parties. iPhone X owners have found that replacing the ambient light sensor or front facing camera will render Face ID useless. This makes a bit more sense as there is biometric security to be taken into account.

We have also seen this issue when it comes to the TouchID sensor. It’s actually impossible to have this replaced by a third-party, meaning that you will have to go directly to Apple.

When iPhone 7 owners ran into this issue last year, Apple promptly released an update to fix this issue. Unfortunately, there’s no way to truly tell whether Apple will do the same for iPhone 8 owners.

If you have run into this issue with your iPhone 8, you need to visit an authorized repair shop or go to Apple directly. Of course, there’s a chance that you’ll be out some cash, but it’s better than having a rather expensive paperweight.

Let us know if you have run into these issues, or if you have seen a fix with the beta release of iOS 11.4. In the meantime, we’ll be sure to keep our ears to the ground and report back if there’s an update from Apple.

Andrew Myrick

Andrew Myrick is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US. He enjoys everything to do with technology, including tablets, smartphones, and everything in between. Perhaps his favorite past-time is having a never-ending supply of different keyboards and gaming handhelds that end up collecting more dust than the consoles that are being emulated.