Would this business idea be legal?

[Jannes]

I like Apple products because of the design and the eco system. I don't need the new stuff, the basic models work just fine for me. Except the iPhone. I hate bad batteries and all the old iPhones have bad batteries. The iPhone 11Pro is the first with an acceptable battery imo but its to expensive for me even refurbished. If it weren't for the battery I would still keep my iPhone 7. And I don't think I am the only one who thinks that way. I think there are a lot of people who just want iOS and a good battery for an affordable price. So what I thought about was to create a new iPhone out of old iPhone parts but with a switch to a bad ass battery. I would take the insides of an old iPhone SE2 because they are cheap but have a good hardware and would put them in the housing of an iPhone 6s Plus (they have the same camera). The extra space of the iPhone 6s Plus would allow for a gigantic battery upgrade.

The first picture shows the insights of the iPhone SE2 and the second picture the insight of the iPhone 6s Plus.

I am no technician so I have no idea if I would run into technical issues. But I am sure if you are skilled at it you could make it work. Is it legal though to make this and then to sell it?

 

[Sucuk Ekmek]

19 hours ago, Jannes said:

Is it legal though to make this and then to sell it?

 

 

That's a very environmental busniess model, I can't speak behalf of German laws but giant coperates are clearly aganist of any  self repair etc.

For example this guy is trying to save a broken Tesla by converting it to diesel. 

 

[yetineti]

Two things I do not regard with absolute certainty but may be worth consideration, because I like this idea.

1. Old iPhones that can not continue taking on current updates are subject to security risks - so this business model may be self defeating- Unless there is some kind of liability warning that you’re getting a device without a current OS and/or some sort of loophole where you can sell them as unlocked and jailbroken.

2. If you make the process simple enough it and market it well, it may be easier to resell old iPhones with a better battery and a (potentially returnable or rentable) tool kit + instructions. This is one of the only ways I can think to avoid any legality issues. This way you wouldn’t not be selling modified, patented, apple products - you’d be selling an ability to modify them, easily, and then just happen to resell/bundle the old iPhone you’d need with it.

IDK food for thought. I like this idea. For me my iPhone (14 pro max) is basically my computer but for a large majority of people this things are overpowered and unnecessary.

Ideally apple would just sell simple simple phones for like 200 bucks and market them as a better option for the regular consumer. Haha though

Edited March 11, 2023 by mw711

[Ulax]

@Jannes If you want a reliable answer to a legal question, I'd get the services of a competent/ well-regarded solicitor/ attorney who has legal expertise in the relevant context, and relevant legal jursidiction, i.e. England and Wales, or the certain state you're in. Even understanding what legal jurisdiction your query would fall under requires expert advice, in my opinion.

In my opinion, there's a lot of misleading legal advice out there.

Its important not just in terms of getting correct legal advice, but also for issues of legal liability, i.e. I imagine you'll be more likely to get treated better by the relevant law if you are found in breach of some law because you followed incorrect legal advice from a solicitor in their professional capacity, rather than someone on an internet forum.

Edited March 11, 2023 by Ulax

[Jannes]

7 hours ago, mw711 said:

Two things I do not regard with absolute certainty but may be worth consideration, because I like this idea.

1. Old iPhones that can not continue taking on current updates are subject to security risks - so this business model may be self defeating- Unless there is some kind of liability warning that you’re getting a device without a current OS and/or some sort of loophole where you can sell them as unlocked and jailbroken.

Yes that's true. I thought I could take the A13 chip from the cheap iPhone SE2. It's the same chip as from the iPhone 11 which was released in September 2019 so it would probably get like 2 more years of the newest software and then hopefully still support for the outdated software. 

7 hours ago, mw711 said:

2. If you make the process simple enough it and market it well, it may be easier to resell old iPhones with a better battery and a (potentially returnable or rentable) tool kit + instructions. This is one of the only ways I can think to avoid any legality issues. This way you wouldn’t not be selling modified, patented, apple products - you’d be selling an ability to modify them, easily, and then just happen to resell/bundle the old iPhone you’d need with it.

There are resellers who sell iPhones with renewed batteries. I don't know if its possible to put in a way better battery in the space of an iPhone though.

7 hours ago, mw711 said:

IDK food for thought. I like this idea. For me my iPhone (14 pro max) is basically my computer but for a large majority of people this things are overpowered and unnecessary.

That's cool. I saw a business guy doing it the same way. I would find it hard to type on such a big thing though. My iPhone X is already a bit to clunky for me, I cant imagine having a good time on an iPhone 14 Pro Max. 

7 hours ago, mw711 said:

Ideally apple would just sell simple simple phones for like 200 bucks and market them as a better option for the regular consumer. Haha though

haha lol