Short answer
The terms that confuse people most are digitizer (the touch layer), flex cable (the thin ribbon connecting parts), incell (an LCD-based aftermarket screen), OEM pull (an original part removed from another device) and service pack (an original part in manufacturer service packaging). Every term is defined below.
- Adhesive
- The gasket or tape that bonds screens, back glass and batteries to the frame. It also provides part of the water resistance, so it is replaced on every repair. Repair adhesives come pre-cut or as liquid glue.
- Back glass
- The glass rear panel on most modern flagships. It allows wireless charging and is glued to the frame. See cameras and back glass.
- Battery connector
- The small press-fit plug that joins the battery flex to the logic board. Disconnecting it first is the standard safety step in any repair.
- Board-level repair
- Repairs to components on the logic board itself, such as chips and connectors, using microsoldering. Tools are specialized: board-level repair tools.
- Charging port
- The USB-C or Lightning socket. It usually sits on a separate flex or sub-board with microphones and antenna contacts. See ports and flex cables.
- Digitizer
- The touch-sensing layer of a screen. In modern phones it is laminated to the display, so the two are replaced as one assembly.
- Earpiece speaker
- The small speaker at the top of the phone used for calls. It is often mounted with the proximity and ambient light sensors on one flex.
- Flex cable
- A thin, flexible printed circuit that connects parts to the logic board. Flex cables tear easily when bent sharply.
- Frame (midframe)
- The metal or plastic chassis that holds the board, battery and screen. Some replacement screens come pre-installed in a new frame.
- Hard OLED / soft OLED
- Aftermarket OLED screens for iPhones. Soft OLED uses a flexible substrate, closer to the original. Hard OLED uses a rigid one.
- Housing
- The whole outer shell, meaning the frame plus back panel. On many iPhones, the housing replaces both at once.
- Incell
- An LCD-based aftermarket replacement screen with touch built into the display layer. It is often used as a lower-cost option for OLED iPhones.
- LCD
- A liquid crystal display, lit by a backlight. It is used in budget phones and many tablets, and as aftermarket screens for OLED phones.
- Logic board
- The main circuit board that holds the processor, memory and storage. On many phones, replacing it means losing the data stored on the phone.
- OEM
- Original equipment manufacturer. In parts listings, it usually means original-source parts.
- OEM pull
- An original part removed from another device and tested for reuse.
- OLED
- An organic light-emitting diode display. Each pixel makes its own light, so blacks are true black and the panel is thin. It is used on most flagship phones.
- Parts pairing
- When a phone checks that a replaced part is genuine and registered to it. On iPhone, the result shows in Parts and Service History.
- Service pack
- An original part in the manufacturer's service packaging, a term common with Samsung screens.
- Taptic engine / vibrator
- The vibration motor. It is a separate small part, often replaced after drops.
- Wireless charging coil
- The flat copper coil behind the back glass that receives wireless charging. It is usually part of, or bonded near, the back glass.
Sources
Sources checked September 29, 2026. Prices, stock and program terms change; confirm them on the linked pages.