You might not have heard or seen the ‘Error 53’ message on Apple devices.
That is unless it has appeared on your iPhone screen rendering your expensive piece of kit absolutely useless.
Anyone who has had their iPhone fixed by a non-Apple technician is at risk. Tech journalists claim the little-known error ‘will kill your iPhone’ dead.
The Guardian reports thousands of iPhone 6 users appear to have been left with permanently disabled, and totally worthless iPhones because of it.
Basically it appears to impact phones where the home button on the front (with the touch ID fingerprint recognition system) is repaired by non-official third party technician.
It may also affect users whose phone is damaged but doesn’t need repairs to be carried out.
The problem comes when people try to update with new Apple iOS software. The Guardian reports when it updates the phone that all data and photos are irretrievably lost.
There doesn’t appear to be any software fix, no way to change any parts or even a way to access the phone’s memory.
“The problem occurs if the repairer changes the home button or the cable,” iFixit tech expert Kyle Wiens told the Guardian.
“Following the software upgrade the phone in effect checks to make sure it is still using the original components, and if it isn’t, it simply locks out the phone. There is no warning, and there’s no way that I know of to bring it back to life.”
Apple said anyone with the Error 53 message should contact Apple Support.
