If you want to repair your iPhone without the aid of Apple, you could be... screwed.
The computer giant has started to use a rare and type of screw that pretty much no one apart from them and their engineers has the screwdriver for.
The five-pointed 'pentalobular' fixing is currently being fitted to the iPhone 4 and MacBook Air, as well as other types of new hardware.
Apple is using a rare type of 'pentalobe' screw, similar to a Torx security screw, on new iPhones and MacBook Airs, making it difficult for users to easily carry out minor repairs
The tamper-resistant screw, which is similar to Torx security screws, will stop users easily taking off the outside case which protects the electronics of their devices.
Instead, Apple product owners will have to take their piece of hardware to an Apple engineer or try to purchase a special screwdriver, which will no doubt be very expensive.
This unusual type of screw first appeared in the mid-2009 MacBook Pro to prevent the battery being replaced.
Apple is currently using a five-pointed fixing on the outer case of the MacBook Air
A smaller version was then seen on the Japanese version of the iPhone 4, which was released last June, and on some other non-US versions of the device.
Apple is currently using these five-pointed fixings on the outer case of the current MacBook Air, and the Phillips screws on the iPhone 4 are also to be replaced with pentalobe screws.
If you've been lucky enough to avoid these awkward fixings so far, beware: Apple will replace your phone's screws with the new tamper-resistant type if you take it in for any sort of a service.
The computer giant has started to use a rare and type of screw that pretty much no one apart from them and their engineers has the screwdriver for.
The five-pointed 'pentalobular' fixing is currently being fitted to the iPhone 4 and MacBook Air, as well as other types of new hardware.
01.jpgApple is using a rare type of 'pentalobe' screw, similar to a Torx security screw, on new iPhones and MacBook Airs, making it difficult for users to easily carry out minor repairs
The tamper-resistant screw, which is similar to Torx security screws, will stop users easily taking off the outside case which protects the electronics of their devices.
Instead, Apple product owners will have to take their piece of hardware to an Apple engineer or try to purchase a special screwdriver, which will no doubt be very expensive.
This unusual type of screw first appeared in the mid-2009 MacBook Pro to prevent the battery being replaced.
Apple is currently using a five-pointed fixing on the outer case of the MacBook Air
A smaller version was then seen on the Japanese version of the iPhone 4, which was released last June, and on some other non-US versions of the device.
Apple is currently using these five-pointed fixings on the outer case of the current MacBook Air, and the Phillips screws on the iPhone 4 are also to be replaced with pentalobe screws.
If you've been lucky enough to avoid these awkward fixings so far, beware: Apple will replace your phone's screws with the new tamper-resistant type if you take it in for any sort of a service.
