I didn't have a lot of faith that this would work, and in the least I figured I'd get stuck halfway and have to ask my husband to finish it for me.
But it did work, and I did the whole thing myself! The videos on YouTube were very helpful. The only step that was NOT as it appeared was the removal of the glass from the frame. Since my screen was mostly shattered around the button and sides, it was not easy to remove in one piece. I wound up with shards, but with repeated application of heat and patience with the screwdriver, I was able to get all the pieces and adhesive out of the frame. That step took me a solid 40 minutes, and overall, I only spent about an hour and a half with this replacement. There were a couple of steps where I was convinced I was going to ruin my phone - and I probably could have easily done it, but the video was pretty good at mentioning the risks and things to be extra-careful about.
I'm very happy to have a shiny and complete screen again. I would recommend this for anyone with patience who is looking for an inexpensive fix. I would not recommend this to anyone who doesn't have good eyesight (these pieces are small!) or good handiwork.
So... not quite as easy as the video makes it seem, and definitely not without risks, but it works, and I have a brand new iPhone screen for a fraction of what it would cost to send it off. iPhone 3GS Digitizer
Just as luck would have it, I ended up cracking my 3gS iPhone's glass screen a few weeks ago. After being quoted the shockingly high fee of $199 at the Apple store and being about to get laid off, I decided to look for the second opinion. Even though a couple things went wrong, neither of them are really Zeetron's fault and I still fixed my phone just fine.
This particular kit offers an excellent value to those of us who got an unexpected introduction to iPhone repair tradecraft. Besides the actual glass panel, you get all the tools you will need to do the job. In particular, the magnetic screwdriver is a god-send for a project like this one. As with most mechanical projects, having the right tools for the job is half the battle, and this kit gets it right.
The sole reason I'm going to knock off one star is because the product title for 3g and 3gs kits should reflect the fact that they are incompatible with different phones. I realize I should have paid more attention to the description, but still... The other thing that didn't help at all was that this particular vendor is located on the East Coast. Expect roughly a week's wait if you are on the West Coast like I am unless you wish to pay out the nose for expedited shipping. In any case, I received the replacement just fine and I'll ship back the 3g one.
The biggest thing that went wrong during this project was that I accidentally broke the LCD display's connector (aka wire #1) when I decided to try out the disassembly instructions while I was waiting for the 3gs digitizer. When I was trying to disconnect the LCD connector using the narrow green tool, I accidentally grabbed the ribbon cable instead of the plastic connector bit. This caused the ribbon cable to separate from the plastic connector, ruining the plug and the LCD screen. Apple clearly didn't design those connectors to be very robust or user-friendly. If I do it again, I'd spread the upper and the lower halves of the phone a little wider, and also use a toothpick with lots of light, instead. While Zeetron sells replacement 3gS screens for a whooping $99, I was able to easily find one with the metal frame already attached on ebay for $50 + shipping (Buy it Now, at that). While this turned a $25 project into a $80 one, this is still $120 less than what Apple wanted, and not one red cent of my money going to that greedy outfit called Apple Co!
As you might have noticed from the instructions, transplanting the digitizer glass requires a steady hand and some DIY aptitude. If you are not feeling too confident to transplant the glass yourself, I recommend two alternatives:
1. Taking advantage of the vendor's replacement service, which is priced quite reasonably at $60 and includes any necessary parts in that fee. Be sure to take out the SIM card and buy some cheap $30 go-phone at radioshack to keep you in touch with the rest of the world until your real phone is fixed.
2. Order the complete 3gS screen assembly that includes the glass, the frame with the mic/home button, and the LCD display. I see quite a few of those for sale on ebay for ~$100. If you do that, fixing your phone becomes just a matter of lifting up the old assembly with the shattered glass, undoing the three connectors per the instructions, and plugging in the new assembly with the intact glass. And if you didn't ruin the LCD display connector like I did, you should be able to get back at least half of the price once you sell the old assembly for parts (the LCD being the most valuable one). At least that's what I'll do if I ever break the glass again. - Iphone - Iphone Replacement Glass - Iphone Glass Screen - Iphone Screen Repair'
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