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Ask HN: Why does Apple want me to expose my iPhone password to repair my screen? (derp.foo)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I went to the Apple "Genius Bar" today to get my iphone screen repaired (it shows only a white screen). They told me I need to disable the "find my iphone feature" before they can start the repair. This requires me to confirm it on the phone itself - which does not work due to the broken screen. So the apple staff handed me a "Showcase iPhone" of the apple store which had a "apple support" app on which I need to enter the password of my phone. I have no idea what this apple support app is doing or if it is legitimate at all (ass this is a show phone where many people have access to). I ended up leaving without repairing the phone and now consider to go to an unofficial screen repair shop. From a security point of view that does not look like a very good approach. Any thought on this?

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I had my Samsung phone repaired at an authorized shop recently. They required the password for my phone in order to run tests that Samsung requires as part of the authorized repair process. Likely the same for Apple?

I made a quick backup of everything important and wiped my phone before handing it over. Give anyone 30 seconds with your phone and they can drain your bank account and get you fired from your job. Not gonna trust anyone with that level of power, but everyone else at the shop was fine with it.