Your iPhone will now send you a notification in the Settings app if it detects that an onboard camera has been repaired with non-Apple parts or replaced with aftermarket components.
Apple has delivered this feature to the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users with recent releases of the iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4 software updates. If your device is running the latest software and its camera was serviced with a non-Apple component, you may see an “important camera message” on the Lock screen and at the top of the Settings app.
Tapping the notification takes you to the Settings app where this message appears:
Unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple camera.
This warning shows up on the latest iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max models. Older iPhones do not show these non-genuine camera notifications.
Should You Be Concerned About This?
We should underscore that this new warning does not impede your use of the iPhone despite sounding a bit scary. It exists purely to inform the user that the camera in their iPhone is an aftermarket component rather than a genuine Apple part.
“The iPhone camera is engineered together with iOS software for optimal performance and quality,” reads a support document on Apple’s website. “A non-genuine camera might cause compatibility or performance issues.” Apple goes on to provide examples of a few problems that might occur when using a non-genuine iPhone camera.
Problem With Non-Verified Cameras
According to the support document, your iPhone may exhibit the following issues after updating to iOS 14.4 or an iOS software update that introduces new camera features.
- The camera does not focus correctly or images are not sharp
- When using Portrait mode, the subject might not be in focus or only partially in focus
- A third-party app that uses the camera might freeze or quit unexpectedly
- Real-time preview in third-party apps might appear blank or might get stuck
The support document then highlights the importance of having certified technicians repair your iPhone camera with certified, genuine Apple components.
Who Should Replace iPhone Cameras?
Aside from Apple itself, certified technicians include authorized service providers and independent repair providers using genuine Apple parts. Authorized technicians have completed Apple’s service training and use the company’s genuine parts and tools.
Replacements not performed by Apple, or its authorized service providers, or certified technicians might not follow proper safety and repair procedures and could result in improper function or issues with image quality or overall device safety, Apple cautions.
For example, aftermarket camera parts may not fit precisely within the device. Apple also warns that repairs that don’t properly replace screws or cowlings might leave behind loose parts that “could damage the battery, cause overheating, or result in injury.”
How to Get Camera Service for Your iPhone
If one of the cameras in your iPhone is not working properly, and you don’t want to have it serviced using aftermarket components, you can get it replaced:
- At an Apple Stores
- At an Apple Authorized Service Provider
- By mailing it to an Apple Repair Center
As for out-of-warranty camera replacements, Apple’s independent repair providers will also offer genuine parts by trained technicians.
And Non-Genuine Batteries and Displays?
The new camera warning is similar to Apple’s existing notifications that appear when the operating system detects that your device is using a non-genuine battery cell or a non-verified display. Apple is making sure that these warnings include links leading to relevant support documents providing all the details. Still, novice users who see such a message might be scared into thinking that their iPhone is somehow malfunctioning.
In our opinion, Apple should be wise to add a line to the non-genuine camera message in Settings acknowledging that the device will remain fully functional. Other folks may find warnings about non-genuine batteries, displays, and now cameras useful when buying a used iPhone.
If the seller is claiming that their iPhone is working like a charm and has never been serviced, simply launch Settings on the handset and look for these notifications.
