iPhone & iPad Technician

iPhone & iPad Technician

I Favor the iPad

Boulder, CO

Female, 42

I have been fixing and playing with mobile devices for many years. I have to say my favorites are the most recent Apple creations of the iPhone and the iPad. Though not perfect (who is?), Apple has done a lot of right things with these two products. I.E. Using the same operating system makes it easy for a user to go from an iPhone to an iPad with a very small learning curve. I know these devices well, so ask me any questions!

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Last Answer on January 21, 2016

Best Rated

As someone who has taken apart plenty of iPhones and iPads, does Apple really build things that are gorgeous on the inside in addition to the outside, like the Steve Jobs biography book talked about?

Asked by blairhenner almost 11 years ago

Hi BlairHenner,

You can say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  If Steve Jobs was attracted to circuit boards then well, umm... anyway.  

Apple has to squeez a lot of hardware into a small package which means the inside of an iPhone or iPad is not exactly a work of art. In fact, taking apart an iPhone and especially an iPad is a pain in the butt. However, the fact that the technology has advanced enough to fit a lot (such as more memory) in a small package is by itself beautiful (I think).  I look forward to the future when the technology gets even more advanced...imagine what we will be able to do with these devices then.

Can you really tell the difference in craftsmanship between Apple and other brands?

Asked by Bekka almost 11 years ago

Hi Bekka,

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by craftsmanship.  But, if you are referring to the quality of the parts and the design of the hardward, all the top name brands (such as Samsung, Apple, LG) use very good quality parts and put a lot of thought into the design.  I wouldn't say there are big differences in craftsmanship since the phones have to be up to a certain spec anyway if they are to stay competitive and actually have the phone work well. 

Something to keep in mind: Some of the hardware parts are not made by the cell phone manufacturer, but contracted out.  For example, a chip might be created by Intel and the screen made by someone else. And since each manufacturers phones are made on production lines, each phone on that production line (whether it be Apple's production line or Samsung's production line) comes out with the same quality\workmanship which is why you can't tell one iPhone5 from another. 

There are of course differences in screen sizes, how well the touch screen works, if it has a camera or not, all of which are personal choices.  But, all and all, if you go with a major brand you will get a good quality phone that is made well. 

Based on the customers you see, do you think Apple is still the "young and hip" brand? Or is it so mainstream now, that even moms, dads, and grandparents are regular Apple consumers?

Asked by liza.dewitt almost 11 years ago

Hi liza.dewitt,

I am seeing more and more people of all ages using iPhones and iPads.  Both devices, especially the iPhone, are picking up a lot of ground in Corporate America. Since "smart phones" are now the common cell phone that most people use it is just a matter of which one to get.  Do people of all ages get an Android, iPhone or other brand? 

MACs have been the computer to use in the design and film industries for years, thus have had a following of all ages for a long time now.  

I would have to say that the iPod is still mostly for the younger generation.  Though, I do see all ages with some kind of mini music box such as the iPod or a Sony, popular music is still mainly for the younger generation, just like it was when I was their age, and my parents were that young...and so on.

In short, it seems like Apple is in a transition period of going from being mainly a young and hip brand to a more broad audience thanks mainly to the iPhone and iPad.

If I bring my iPhone to you for repair, will that void my warranty because you have to physically open it up?

Asked by Sasha almost 11 years ago

Hi Sasha,

Here is how it works. If you do not have an Apple Certified Tech repair your iPhone it will void your warranty. So, yes, because Joe Schmoo is not an Apple Certified Tech and he simply opens up your phone it will void your warranty.  Why?  Because, Joe Schmoo could have accidently broken something while just trying to open up your iPhone (because he didn't know what he was doing), and then he will hope Apple will fix his mistake for free. 

So, how does one get the training and credentials to become an Apple Certified Tech? The easiest way is to become an Apple employee.  If you are not an Apple employee it is not so easy.  In either case, the process and training is said to be difficult and requires more then just passing a certification class.  

 

Are all your own personal devices Apple too :) ?

Asked by KimE almost 11 years ago

Hi KimE,

We have a mixture of devices in our house.  We have an 2 iPhones, 1 MacBook Air laptop, 1 iPad, two different brands of MP3 players (I have a Sony and I can't remember what my husband has), and 1 Samsung Windows 7 PC.  At some point in the future, we want to get what ever the next iPad release is.

What's the coolest hack you ever discovered?

Asked by BEATIT almost 11 years ago

Well, to tell ya the truth I'm not much into hacking.  I can see where hacking can be fun, interesting, and cool. But, I really don't spend much time researching the latest and greatest hack.  Thanks for the question though.

When Apple releases a new product, is that good for YOUR business too? Like, do you notice a spike in tech service requests that coincides with Apple product releases?

Asked by Emma almost 11 years ago

Hi Emma,

I work in a corporate environment, not a fixit shop.  But, people at work love to get the latest and greatest devices when they come out.  And it's bonus if they can get their boss to pay for it.  :)  So, when Apple releases a new product it helps job security for me and the other techs. 

It depends on the department and how much money they have set aside for IT spending whether a person gets the latest Apple release when it comes out or it they have to wait for either more funding or their current cellular contract to expire.

To answer your question, we do see an increase in new device tickets for the iPhones and iPads.  And I would image if I owned a business that sold Apple products, I would see a huge spike in customer spending for a month or two.