iOS 15.2 adds a new parts and service history feature for iPhones

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Ifixit Iphone 12 Pro Teardown Camera
Ifixit Iphone 12 Pro Teardown Camera (Image credit: iFixit)

What you need to know

  • Apple's iOS 15.2 update will add a new feature that shows when batteries and cameras have been replaced.
  • The new feature shows when parts have been swapped out and whether they are genuine or not.

Apple's upcoming iOS 15.2 update will add a new "Parts and Service History" section to the iPhone's settings screen, showing which parts have been replaced and whether the parts are genuine or not.

The feature is backed up by a new support document and was first spotted by MacRumors. Here's how Apple describes things:

Genuine Apple parts have been designed, tested, and manufactured for Apple quality and performance standards.With iOS 15.2 and later, you can go to Settings > General > About to see the parts and service history of your iPhone.

Different information will be displayed depending on the iPhone being used, however. iPhone 11, iPhone 12, and iPhone 13 devices will see if the battery or display have been replaced, for example. However, iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 will also alert users if the camera has been replaced, too.

Those carrying iPhone XR, XS, XS Max, and iPhone SE 2nd generation) devices have to make do with battery information, unfortunately.

Apple will tell users whether a replacement "was done using genuine Apple parts and tools," while "Unknown Part" will be reported if that wasn't the case. That'll be flagged if the part is nongenuine, has been used in another iPhone, or isn't working correctly, Apple's support document points out.

The move comes as Apple gets ready to allow people to repair their own devices using Apple guides and genuine Apple parts. While an iPhone repaired by Apple is still considered by many to be the best iPhone, being able to repair devices at home is still a positive for others. This new section gives people more information on what's been done to an iPhone, something particularly useful in the used market.

Apple is testing iOS 15.2 with developers now and is likely to release it to the public before Christmas, although no confirmation has been given.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.