When you get your phone repaired, you hear words that rarely come up in everyday life. Here are the most important ones, explained so that you understand them the first time you read them.
30 terms
In five areas
No jargon
Every word explained
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We explain it on the phone
A type of screen in which every pixel lights up on its own. That is why black is truly black and the contrast is better than on an LCD. OLED screens are more expensive to make, so the replacement part also costs more.
See also: LCD, Screen burn-in
The older type of screen. Here a light sits behind the image, and the pixels only let that light through. Black therefore looks more like dark grey. LCD screens are cheaper, which is why a screen replacement on the iPhone 11 costs less than on the iPhone 11 Pro.
See also: OLED
The outermost layer over the screen. It takes the scratches and the drops, which is why it is the part that breaks most often. On most current phones the glass is bonded firmly to the screen, so replacing the glass means fitting a complete new screen. On some tablets and older devices the glass sits separately on top and can be replaced on its own.
See also: Digitizer, Tempered glass screen protector
The layer that detects your touch. It sits between the glass and the image. If the picture is perfect but touch no longer responds in one spot, the digitizer is usually damaged.
On OLED screens, areas that always show the same thing can stay faintly visible over time, such as the keyboard or the status bar at the top. This is not damage from a drop but wear. It can only be fixed with a new screen.
See also: OLED
A protective layer of hardened glass stuck on top of the screen. It does not replace a screen, but it absorbs many scratches and the odd drop. On devices with a fingerprint sensor in the screen, a thick protector can make recognition worse.
See also: Under-screen fingerprint sensor
An Apple feature that adjusts the colour temperature of the screen to the light in the room. It relies on data stored in the original screen. With an aftermarket screen, this feature can disappear.
A percentage that tells you how much capacity the battery still has compared with when it was new. On iPhones you find it in Settings under Battery. Below 80 percent, most people clearly notice the difference.
See also: Charge cycle
One full charge cycle is used up once you have used a total of one hundred percent of battery, whether in one go or spread over several days. After roughly 500 to 1,000 cycles, a phone battery is noticeably weaker.
A battery that expands because of gas inside it. It pushes the screen up or the back open. Please stop using it, don't charge it, and bring the device in soon.
Charging at higher power so the device fills up faster. It does not harm the battery as much as people often claim. What really wears a battery down is constant high heat.
The opening at the bottom of the device where the cable goes in. It is a wear part. When the cable no longer holds properly, there is often just lint from your pocket inside, which is why we always clean it first before we talk about replacing it.
The connector that has been standard on Android devices for years and that Apple has fitted since the iPhone 15. The plug fits either way round.
See also: Charging port
Apple's own connector, fitted from the iPhone 5 to the iPhone 14. From the iPhone 15 onwards, Apple switched to USB-C.
See also: USB-C
Apple's facial recognition. The parts for it sit at the top of the screen frame and are paired to your specific device. During a screen replacement we move them over into the new screen. If they are damaged themselves by a drop, Face ID cannot be restored.
See also: Touch ID
Apple's fingerprint sensor in the Home button. It is paired to the logic board at the factory. A different Home button can be pressed but cannot read a fingerprint, which is why we always refit your original one.
See also: Face ID
On many Android devices the sensor sits under the screen. After a screen replacement you have to register your fingerprints once again. That is normal and takes a minute.
See also: Tempered glass screen protector
A rating of how well a device is protected against dust and water, such as IP67 or IP68. The protection comes from adhesive seals in the housing. Every time we open a device we fit a new seal, but nobody can guarantee the factory condition after that.
The back of the device. On modern phones it is made of glass so that wireless charging works. It is glued in place; we loosen it with heat and then fit it again. We do back glass repairs here in our own workshop.
The main board that holds the processor, the memory and all the connectors. It is the heart of the device. If it is damaged, for example after water damage, we take a close look at it and tell you what is possible.
A replacement part that matches what was fitted at the factory. Colours, brightness and all extra features stay exactly as before. It costs more than an aftermarket part.
See also: Aftermarket part
A replacement part from a different manufacturer. A good aftermarket screen is not noticeable in everyday use. On some models the brightness falls slightly short of the original, and iOS may show a notice about the part.
See also: High-quality replacement part, Parts notice
A message in the iPhone settings saying that a part has been replaced. It also appears after a properly done repair. The device keeps working normally; it is a notice, not an error message.
See also: Aftermarket part
The price we give you before we start the work. You then decide whether we go ahead.
We open the device, take measurements and look for the cause. Sometimes it is different from what was suspected, for example the battery instead of the charging port. You then hear the price before we start.
The legal right to a repair that is carried out free of defects. It applies regardless of what a business additionally promises as a guarantee.
A safety copy of your data. Make one before every repair if the device still starts. On iPhones you can do this via iCloud or your computer, on Android via your Google account.
The attempt to get photos and contacts off a device that no longer starts normally. Whether it works depends on the damage. To be honest: with water damage it is an attempt, not a guarantee.
See also: Backup
An anti-theft feature from Apple. When it is active, the device cannot be set up without the Apple ID it belongs to. We cannot bypass it, and we don't.
Resetting the device to the state it was delivered in. All your data is deleted in the process. This is not needed for a normal repair; we ask you before anything is deleted.
See also: Backup
Is a word missing, or is something still unclear? Call us on 0211 26134549 and we will happily explain it on the phone. Or send us a repair request straight away.
You don't need to know any of this to bring your device to us. When you hand it in, we explain what needs doing.
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