The display on the front and glass on the back side of Apple’s iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models are much easier to access and repair than before.
- What’s happening? Apple has made it much easier to service the display and the rear glass of its latest iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models.
- Why care? Because easier access to those components, coupled with changes to the internal design layout, could ultimately mean more affordable repairs.
- What to do? Consider protecting your investment with a case. We have rounded up some of the very best protective cases for iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pros.
iPhone 14 makes display and rear glass repair easier
The display on older iPhones couldn’t be replaced without removing the whole True Depth camera module. Luckily, the display on the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models can be now opened without removing the whole TrueDepth camera module, according to TechCrunch editor-in-chief Matthew Panzarino.
That’s quite an unexpected change. The last iPhone model to feature a removable glass back was iPhone 4s, which was released back in 2011.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus need to be disassembled from the back cover. No need to dismantle the screen. Be careful not to break it. pic.twitter.com/DSRw2H8PV3
— DuanRui (@duanrui1205) September 15, 2022
But that’s not the only change in the internal design layout—the new phones feature a rear glass panel that can be opened for easier repairs, as per DuanRui on Twitter.
Being able to open the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pros from both the front and the back might ultimately decrease the cost of repairing the display and the rear glass. Read: How to set up an alternate appearance for Face ID
Display and rear glass repairs on older iPhones
To replace the back glass on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models, Apple stores and authorized service providers need to open the device from the display side, disassemble components, and install an iPhone Rear System, which is an iPhone enclosure with all components except the display and rear camera.
This part gets affixed to the original display and rear camera, so long as those parts are not damaged too. For iPhone 11 and older models with cracked back glass, Apple-authorized technicians simply replace the entire device.
In the United States, Apple charges $169 for the iPhone 14’s rear glass and $199 for the rear glass on iPhone 14 Plus. However, folks who have optional AppleCare coverage protection will pay only $29 to service the rear glass on both models.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pros also better manage heat dissipation, which is one of the ways to improve battery health. Teardown analysis performed by the YouTube channel PBKreviews suggests Apple’s engineers have achieved that by covering the logic board with a metal plate and using a graphite film for the back of the display.