21 May
2010
The aim of this blog post is to clarify the subject of numerous enquiries; iPhone 3G Back Panels.
Sadly due to the age of many iPhones the panes are starting to crack, split and disintegrate often around the dock connector or headphone jack.
There are lots of resellers selling off replacement panels starting from a few dollars to upwards of $150 all with different names and quips.
As the whole iPhone is essentially assembled from the back panel up, headphone jack, dock assembly and motherboard are all fitted in, ie lack of chassis, it is important to buy high quality replacement parts - why skimp on parts for a $1000 phone?
Non-OEM or CopyThese panels are produced in third party factories in non original molds. Hence they may look glossy, however often have imperfections including missing screw holes, clips and flaws in the design. One major point to notice is that they are often missing the silver 'rings' which go around the camera and headphone jack. These panels should be avoided as they are not worth the hassle of installing. Why fit $20 parts on a $1000+ phone?
High CopyAs you'd imagine these are high quality copies which structurally are close to perfect but may use poorer quality materials or finishing. These come at a much lower cost compared with original panels and offer a similar finish.
OriginalThese are original panels and are considerably more expensive; won't be found anywhere for much less than $100. These panels are made in the original factory alongside panels shipped in new phones.
Complete Back PanelsThese are high copy or original back panels, but with (just about) everything installed including battery headphone jack, plastic/chrome components, bezel and more. This makes any repair much, much simpler and is what we recommend to all clients. The price is very competitive too (saving of about $150 over purchase of individual components).
If you have any questions about this please feel free to email or call us to discuss; we'd love to hear from you.