Mumbai: Apple recently released a fix for the “Error 53” glitch that rendered all iPhones repaired by third-party shops useless. If an iPhone’s home button was replaced by an unauthorised service center, users will see the ‘Error 53’ showing up.
The ‘Error 53’ is related to Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint scanner (home button), which can be used to unlock devices without typing a password and numerous other functions.
If any Apple iPhone user got the device’s home button repaired from a third party repairer, a subsequent test OS update bricked those devices immediately, and there was no way to restart it.
According to an initial report by The Guardian, thousands of users who got their devices repaired from third parties, including some unexploited devices, had to face this quandary.
This enraged thousands of Apple iPhone users, who said that company should have brought out the issue in the open earlier rather than keeping it a secret.
Offering an explanation, Apple said that the ‘Error 53’ was part of a security check to protect customer’s data and identity. In case there is a mismatch of hardware components, especially the Touch ID sensor, iOS automatically disables Apple Pay and other services.
A recent post on Apple’s blog, said: “After you try to update or restore your iOS device in iTunes on your Mac or PC, you might see error 53 in iTunes and "Connect to iTunes" on your device. Error 53 appears when a device fails a security test. This test was designed to check whether Touch ID works properly before the device leaves the factory, and wasn’t intended to affect customers.”
On February 19, Apple had issued a new version of iOS 9.2.1 for users who update their devices via iTunes only. The software update allows customers to restore their device using Mac or PC.
“For anyone who experienced error 53, Apple has released an update to iOS 9.2.1 to allow you to successfully restore your device using iTunes on your Mac or PC,” the company said in a post.
The company has also pointed out the steps that need to be followed by users to restore and recover their devices. However, the update is unnecessary for users who update their iPhones via iCloud, as ‘error 53’ cannot be encountered that way.
Here are the steps listed by the company to fix the issue:
1. If iTunes is open on your Mac or PC, quit iTunes.
2. If your iOS device is plugged into your computer, unplug it.
3. Make sure that you have the latest version of iTunes.
4. Connect your iOS device to your computer with a USB cable.
5. Open iTunes and select your device.
6. When you see the option in iTunes to Restore or Update, click Update. iTunes will try to reinstall iOS and restore your device without erasing your data.*
7. If you can't get past the Apple logo screen, force restart** your iOS device. When you see the option to Restore or Update, click Restore.
8. When you see your iOS device's Hello screen, follow the onscreen steps to set up your device.
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If you previously backed up your device, you can set up from your backup.
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When you see the screen for Touch ID, tap Set up Touch ID later.
9. If Touch ID on your device didn't work before you saw error 53, the feature still won't work after you update or restore your device. Contact Apple Support to ask about service options for Touch ID.
The Cupertino-based company also apologised to iPhone users in their statement to Techcrunch for the whole issue and explained that the test update was not intended to affect consumers.
According to the same TechCrunch report, Apple is also facing a class action lawsuit over the whole issue and this new update will alleviate some of the charges slammed on them.
Moreover, users should know that the new update will only restore the device, and the repaired home button/ Touch ID Sensor will still be ineffective. Apple has previously pointed out that using a third-party Touch ID sensor can turn out to be a huge security risk, and one corrupted Touch ID can allow unauthorised access to a user’s device.
