Afternoon!

My iPhone 3 was starting to get a bit tatty... broken rear case, knackered sim-holder and (crucially) the touch-pad was getting very temperamental!

I've decided that the iPhone 4 is not a significant enough leap forward to justify the extra-expense, so I'm going to stick with my old phone and go onto the cheaper o2 'simplicity' tariff until the iPhone 5 comes out.

So now I have to squeeze as much life out of old faithful as possible!

The broken case and sim-holder can be sorted for a tenner. How about the digitizer screen? I'm seeing plenty on eBay at the £10-£15 mark - I'm thinking they are too cheap to be any use, but then, what do I know! Does anyone have any experience of aftermarket iPhone screens?

Cheers!

... and here's one for a fiver with a years 'warranty'... Replacement Digitizer LCD Touch Screen For iPhone 3G | eBay UK

Yours (perhaps unfairly) skeptically

Scootz

My rear case is badly scuffed up, what is involved with swapping it out?

I see you say it's cheap... Is it easy too?

My 3GS is out of contract, so I'm on sim only. It's insured in case of disaster, but that doesn't cover it looking shabby.

I've replaced the digitiser with a cheapo ebay one. Was expecting the worst, but it worked fine. Breeze to install. Just make sure you get (or already own) the tools for the replacement.

quote:

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Originally posted by deezee
I've replaced the digitiser with a cheapo ebay one. Was expecting the worst, but it worked fine. Breeze to install. Just make sure you get (or already own) the tools for the replacement.

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I replaced the digitizer and broke the LCD in the process. Even that was only £20ish to replace.

I do have frequent issues with the iphone locking up during calls, touch screen becoming unresponsive etc - but as far as I can tell this is the iphone itself rather than the replacement bits. I'm going Android just as soon as I'm out of contract!

Before you start taking an iphone apart have a careful look at the video clips showing how to do it, and check that you really want to enter into that world of pain.

The screws and connectors are tiny, and every single screw is slightly different. The battery is glued into the case, so tricky to remove. Some of the interconnects are those nasty flexy transparent with tracks on that are a pain to go into their connectors. To change the back cover (or camera) requires the whole thing to be taken apart. They are not designed with repair in mind.

None of this is impossible, but it is mega fiddly.

I have taken loads of Nokia's apart and they are easy. The iPhone is a whole different badger.


Matt

Once you've fixed it, try these peeps here

I'm currently on payg getting 200 free minutes, unlimited texts and unlimited internet (properly unlimited!!) for a tenner a month!!

They use O2's network so very good coverage.....Been with them for a month so far and absolutely brill.