Apple is making it harder to open the iPhone 4, with a new tamper-proof screw design

By: Noman Lahli, Cell Phone Repair Guys Chief  Techie  January 2, 2011 2:59 pm

Move is aimed at prohibiting users from modifying or tampering with the inner workings of the phone. It could also be that the company does not appreciate the fact that it is so easy to change the iPhone 4’s back battery cover and sometimes even the front face to all white using an easy to find small phillips head screwdriver.

The newly designed screws are now star-shaped, and with a very small groove that can only be opened using a very tiny special screwdriver. The pair of screws are on the bottom of the phone and hold the back glass battery cover to the frame. This particular new size  screwdriver cannot be found at any of the big retailers, having already checked at Fry’s, Best Buy, and RadioShack. Even the tiniest bit head was too large for opening.  It now prohibits many do-it-yourselfers from opening or modifying their iPhone 4’s. The kid in New York that sold over $130K in White iPhone 4 Kits probably also was a factor in Apple’s decision to change those screws.

The only places that will be able to do repairs going forward will be in-the-know repair centers and of course, the Apple Genius Bar. All newly produced iPhone 4’s  will contain the new star-shaped screws and any phone taken for service at the Genius Bar will receive the new parts, replacing the standard phillips head on most models. The new screw is very prone to stripping and great care should be taken to NOT use any other size screwdriver on the head or else  you will risk having no way of opening up the phone if it ever needs to be repaired or serviced. No way other then having to break apart the battery case from the frame, and good luck with that.

Cell Phone Repair Guys specializes in iPhone repair as well as all other manufacturers and we guarantee the lowest cell phone repair prices in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. Call us today for all your cell phone repair needs.