On this page
The three grades, honestly described
Genuine Apple service parts. The same components Apple's own service network fits. Perfect fit, full feature support, no compromises — and limited availability to independents, especially for current models.
Premium OEM. Produced on the same manufacturing lines and to the same specification as original stock, without Apple branding. For displays this means a real OLED panel with correct colour calibration; for batteries, a cell with genuine capacity and a proper protection circuit. Close enough that most users never notice the difference.
Cheap aftermarket. Built to a price. Displays are usually LCD replacing OLED, with washed-out blacks, colour shift off-axis and laggy touch. Batteries are commonly rated far below their printed capacity and age fast. Cameras lose stabilisation. This is where the ₹4,500 quote comes from.
What you actually lose with a cheap part
Displays: dimmer peak brightness, poor outdoor visibility, crushed blacks, touch that misses in corners, and backlight failure — often inside a year. True Tone frequently doesn't work at all.
Batteries: a cell sold as 3,000mAh that actually holds 2,100mAh, so your 'new' battery gives you the same runtime as the worn one you replaced. Worse, poor protection circuitry is a genuine safety concern.
Cameras and Face ID: cheap camera modules lose optical stabilisation and low-light performance. Face ID components are paired to the device at the factory and generally cannot be replaced with third-party parts at all.
How to find out what you're being quoted
Ask directly: 'Is this a genuine Apple part, a premium OEM part, or aftermarket?' A shop that deals honestly answers in one sentence. A shop that says 'same thing, sir' is telling you it's aftermarket.
Ask for the grade to be written on the quote and on the bill. Ask what the warranty is, and whether it covers the part or only the labour. A six-month warranty on the part itself is a strong signal — nobody underwrites six months on a part they know will fail.
When cheap is the right answer
Sometimes it genuinely is. A four-year-old phone worth ₹12,000 does not need a ₹9,000 display. A device being kept as a spare, or sold on, or handed to a child, is a reasonable place for a budget part — as long as you were told that's what it is and priced accordingly.
The problem is never that cheap parts exist. It's being charged premium prices for them.
Frequently asked
Are OEM parts the same as genuine Apple parts?
Not identical, but close. Premium OEM parts are made to the same specification on the same production lines without Apple branding. Quality is very near original; cheap aftermarket parts are a different category entirely.
How can I tell if a repair used a cheap part?
Displays are the easiest tell: look at blacks in a dark room, check brightness outdoors, and tilt the screen to see whether colours shift. Check whether True Tone still works. For batteries, compare real-world runtime a week later.
Why does Apple charge so much more?
Apple replaces whole assemblies with genuine parts at list price, and includes its own logistics and warranty. Independent repair is cheaper because it repairs at component level and sources parts differently.
Does a third-party part void my warranty?
It voids any remaining Apple warranty or AppleCare+ cover on that device. It does not affect the independent shop's own warranty on the work they did.
Want us to look at it?
Free diagnosis at our Margao store, a fixed quote before any work, and six months of written warranty.