Apple Store technicians and Authorized Service Providers can now repair Face ID issues on iPhone X without replacing the entire handset.
Apple last month began performing Face ID repairs on newer iPhone models, but iPhone X was excluded from the list of supported devices. A leaked internal memo reveals that the 2017 flagship has now been included.
Apple changes Face ID repairs
iPhone X was the first Apple device to ship with Face ID. At the time, it was billed as a more convenient and more secure alternative to Touch ID. The move has been a great success, and Face ID has since made its way to iPad Pro, too.
Until this year, however, if the Face ID hardware inside your iPhone failed, Apple would replace the entire device. That meant having to backup all your data, then setup a new unit — a process that could take several hours.
Thankfully, that’s no longer the case.
Face ID can now be fixed on iPhone X
Apple can now fix Face ID on all iPhone models that include the facial recognition system, including iPhone X, according to a leaked memo seen by MacRumors. It was the only handset not initially supported.
Face ID components have been shipped to Apple Store technicians and third-party Authorized Service Providers, allowing them to carry out the necessary fixes. It’s not yet clear how much the repair costs out of warranty.
For many iPhone X owners, this should negate the need to set up a new device when Face ID fails. It should also be more affordable, and more environmentally friendly than swapping out old devices for like-new ones, and then having to recycle them.
