Error 53: Law firms in US and UK promise to take Apple to court

As reported earlier, getting your iPhone’s touch id sensor repaired or replaced by a third-party repair service (i.e. a service centre not approved by Apple), could result in the infamous Error 53, which means that your phone is bricked and there’s not a thing that you can do about it. Following a severe backlash from consumers, several law firms in the US and UK have promised to take the issue to court and are reportedly preparing to file a class action lawsuit against Apple’s “reckless” policy, reports The Guardian. PCVA, a UK-based law firm has already started accepting claims from various affected users in preparation for a potential class action lawsuit against Apple. They also state that, “We hope to find out why Apple implements a policy where end users aren’t free to choose someone other than Apple to repair their devices. We believe that Apple may be intentionally forcing users to use their repair services, which cost much more than most third party repair shops. Where you could get your screen replaced by a neighbourhood repair facility for $50-80 (Rs.3,000-5,500), Apple charges $129 (Rs.8,800) or more. There is incentive for Apple to keep end users from finding alternative methods to fix their products.” Apple’s repair policy is being viewed as monopolistic by many, including iFixit’s Kyle Wiens, who stated that, “Manufacturers using their monopoly to block third party repair isn’t a new issue – auto manufacturers have also tried to lock out local mechanics. It took ‘Right to Repair’ legislation to force the automakers to do the same thing. Hopefully Apple is savvier than they were." Apple is still sticking to its guns, insisting that Error 53 is a legitimate security feature and an essential part in protecting your phone’s integrity. Regardless, bricking your phone entirely, and with no warning at that, isn’t something that can be considered a reasonable solution by any stretch of the imagination.