iPhone 6 has “Touch Disease”and Apple doesn’t give a two hoot about it
Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are afflicted with a strange disease known as “touch disease,” where the iPhone freezes up and won’t respond to touch commands.
The issue was brought to the notice of Apple who apparently brushed it aside. Now Canadian iPhone 6 users have filed a class action lawsuit against Apple for doing little to address the device-debilitating “Touch Disease”. A similar class-action lawsuit has been filed in the U.S., alleging the California-based tech giant knew about the defect and failed to take action.
The most Apple has done to address the “Touch Disease” is to fix the phone for around $300, reports Patently Apple. Here are some facts you should know about the latest affliction to hit iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
1. iPhone 6 and 6 Plus has a basic flaw in how the metal backing that holds touch IC chips to the motherboard :
iPhone 6 has a circuit board with two black boxes known as IC units. The lack of reinforcing material on the two IC units make the iPhone 6 very susceptible to Bendgate. The iPhone 6 Plus’s slim design and its wide surface area makes it especially bendable.
According to iFixit, these units connect to the motherboard through soldering connections with little balls. If those connections are broken, the Touch IC Chips can’t convert touch commands into language the machine can understand. Many devices use black glue that holds the chips in place.
While previous iPhone models included a rigid metal backing as reinforcement for the IC units, the iPhone 6/6 Plus replaced it with a sticker shield, reports iFixit.
2. Apple hasn’t publicly acknowledged “Touch Disease”
Judging from the Apple support requests related to Touch Disease, employees are aware of the problem. However, some customers have complained that their pleas have fallen on deaf ears. Apple reps, known as Geniuses, cannot fix the phones themselves, and Apple won’t refer affected customers to independent repair shops.
@Apple My iPhone 6 Plus fails to respond to touch. Took it into Genius Bar & nothing! Why are you denying this? https://t.co/1bvpCxh47r
— Dolf Wayne Durden (@dolfer) September 28, 2016
Apple has gone a step further and shut down technicians who proposed taking affected devices to independent repair shops. According to IFixit, technician Jessa Jones and colleague Mark Schaffer were banned from Apple Support Communities after explaining the cause behind Touch Disease in a forum.
3. iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users from the United States and Canada have filed class-action lawsuits against Apple for “touch disease”
iPhone owners have filed a class action complaint with the US District Court for Northern California in August. The suit includes allegations of fraud and negligence, saying Apple didn’t offer any help beyond a fix that costs $300. The lawsuit says Apple should acknowledge the problem and recall or replace the phones.
Similarly, Canadian iPhone 6 user have also filed class action lawsuits over the phone defect. The plaintiff, Rae Wiegers, who called iPhone 6 a disease ridden device and ‘a piece of crap.’ She said she talked with a senior adviser “Dave” from Apple Support, who said there was no manufacturing problem with her phone. He signed off of the conversation with a smiley face.
4. You can get the “Touch Disease” repaired at independent shops for far less amount than Apple stores.
Many iPhone 6 users out of a warranty have turned to independent repair shops or found creative fixes on their own. According to ExtremeTech, some repair shops will fix the broken devices for $200. Technicians may use microsoldering tools to reconnect the ICs and even add a metal plate to prevent Touch Disease from reoccurring.
