'''INTERESTING OBSERVATION: Comparing original Apple and aftermarket iPhone 6 charge port flex assembly.'''
Like many others have commented on IFIXIT’s forum and on IFIXIT’s iPhone 6 charge port repair guide, I had intermittent cell service and signal strength after replacing the charge port flex assembly. I purchased the part from an eBay supplier, and as with many others, had the most difficulty re-connecting the antenna wire to the motherboard, but eventually got it. As many others have reported, the cell service would fluctuate between no service, searching, 1x, and LTE, but could rarely make calls. Being confident in my repair technique, I concluded the part was defective, and had the same supplier provide another part. This one I installed with exactly the same result. It is worth noting that this problem has been reported for aftermarket parts from several suppliers including IFIXIT.
A number of others reported having normal performance upon re-installing the original flex assembly. Unfortunately, I damaged the original Apple flex assembly during removal, so I didn’t have the opportunity to try that. After reading online about the cell antenna construction using the isolated ends of the phone case as part of the antenna system, and about how the charge port flex assembly has screw connections as well as metal tabs on the underside that need to contact the metal case, I decided to measure continuity between several of the case grounding areas of the flex assembly and the flex assembly’s outer conductor of the antenna connector wire. I did this on both the eBay part and the original Apple part, and found an interesting difference.
Refer to the image of the part below with the metal parts of the flex assembly where continuity was measured. On the Apple part all six locations showed continuity to each other. But on the eBay part locations E and F were isolated from the other points.
Assuming the Apple part has the correct condition, and knowing that points B, C, and F are intended to be connected to the central case, and point D to the isolated end of the case, I suspect that the eBay part is responsible for the cell signal issue.
I would be interest to hear if others have feedback on my finding or other thoughts on this issue.
[image|1610631]