Searching for Apple spare parts you will find a lot of online shops selling them. Also iDoc is spezialized in selling spare parts and offers you displays, batteries and other parts for your iPhone. Moreover Amazon and eBay provide a huge range of products and a huge range of quality levels. So how can you navigate through this replacement jungle? And how can you see the difference between high and poor quality?
In this article we provide you with some background information regarding different product quality levels as well as a short checklist how to assess an online shop’s professionality.
Are original iPhone spare parts available in retail sale?
No. Even the biggest spare part suppliers and service providers authorized by Apple confirmed that they don’t have orginal iPhone spare parts. The same applies for other iOS devices such as iPads and iPods. Most repair shops are not officially authorized by Apple to perform reparation. Without official authorization the manucfacturer’s warranty becomes immediately invalid when repairing the iPhone. Therefore you should always verify the warranty claims before every reparation.
What to keep in mind when buying replacement parts for your iPhone
If you’re planning to buy spare parts for your iPhone, you should be careful where you buy them. Repair shops and suppliers claiming to sell original spare parts on Amazon, eBay or in their own online store often owe an according certification. We at iDoc want to be transparent, that’s why we don’t use any missleading wordings like “from original manufacturer”. iDoc only offers iPhone spare parts in the highest quality available. Read on to learn what we mean by that.
Of course, Apple itself has original spare parts: On the one hand they are used for their limited inhouse repair works, on the other hand for B2B distribution. This distribution is limited to selected partners only and subject to strict conditions. The authorized partners are only allowed to use the obtained spare parts for repair – any resale is forbidden.
Do repair shops use original Apple spare parts?
Partly. Until recently original spare parts were only used by Apple itself or the so-called Apple Authorized Service Providers. In August 2019 Apple announced a change: the Independent Repair Provider Program. Participating, independent repair shops get access to original iPhone spare parts, as well as special tools and repair instructions. The program started in the USA, but is planned to be expanded on other countries.
In order to get access to original iPhone spare parts the repair shops must fullfill the following conditions:
- The program only includes repair works after expiration of the warranty. Warranty claims may still be pursued by Apple itself or one of the 5000 authorized service providers only.
- In the participating repair shops, only a certified technician is allowed to repair. For the certification the technician has to pass a special training of 40 hours, including a final test.
- Removed iPhone parts that were replaced by spare parts need to be returned to Apple.
- Spare parts can be obtained directly from Apple or from one of its suppliers. The latter is often cheaper. The repair shop must keep that transparent for the client.
Click here to get more information on this program.
Please note: Resellers or distributors of iPhone spare parts won’t get certified by Apple. Please don’t let yourself be misled by such statements in online stores.
The reason why many suppliers wrongly offer original spare parts
You probably already guess: The chance of finding a new, original Apple replacement part in regular stores is almost zero for self-repairers. However, this does not mean that you can only find products of poor or insufficient quality. The Shenzhen and Hong Kong special economic zones offer a wide range of iPhone spare parts in various quality levels.
Overview of quality levels
- Original: Orginal parts that have been examined and approved by Apple. Those are only used by Apple, authorized service providers and certified repair shops. As described before, this level of quality is not available in retail. You can identify original Apple spare parts easily by their individual sealing.
- OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer): The spare part consists of original and new materials only, but it has not been officially approved by Apple. OEM is the highest quality level available in retail.
- Assembled OEM, also known as Refurbished: Original components only, apart from the display glass. The glass has the quality level Super Copy.
- Super Copy, also known as High Copy: Original LCD or OLED is installed, all other components are third party, however, in comparable quality. The installed components are new and usually produced by well-known manufacturers. Significant features like touchscreen sensitivity, light intensity or color temperature are comparable to the original. However, there can be differences in the thickness of the carrier frame for displays. This affects the accuracy of fit of the replacement part.
- Aftermarket: The lowest quality level. The market for this level is huge, many different materials and technologies can be found. Thus, there are significant differences in terms of durability, manufacturing and accuracy of fit, which is reflected in the price. For example, brightness differences or touch problems occur with displays, and safety features may have been saved with batteries.
Which kind of spare parts does iDoc offer?
We offer Apple replacement parts in the best available quality leve. In order to provide you with a consistently high quality of our spare parts, we work with personally selected suppliers who handle the quality inspection according to our high requirements. When you order from us, you can be sure you’re getting the best possible quality.
Tips when buying Apple replacement parts
Experience has shown that dubious dealers often declare substandard spare parts to be of original quality. Unfortunately, the quality of the spare parts is difficult to judge from the product description alone. Product images also just give a limited indication. Therefore, we can only recommend that you pay attention to the usual characteristics of reputable online stores.
What defines a reputable online retailer?
- What is your impression of the online shop in general? Are there many content or spelling errors?
- Is it possible to contact the supplier via phone? does the online store offer a customer support?
- How realistic are the prices? There is often a snag in extrem bargains.
- How does the supplier deal with problems / exchange requirements / warranty claims?
- Is the shop specialized on certain articles or are replacement parts only one offer among many?
- How do other clients rate the online shop?
- Which legal form does the supplier use? In general you will find that information in the imprint. If there is no imprint at all, you shouldn’t buy from the store.