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Beginning Next Year, Apple Will Send You Parts and Tools To Fix Your iPhone and Mac at Home (techcrunch.com) 157

Apple just announced Self Service Repair, a new program designed to let users perform common repairs on devices at home. Through the program, users with damaged devices will be sent "Apple genuine" tools and components -- same as the ones they use at the Genius Bar. From a report: The company will also be offering up online repair manuals (text, not video), accessible through the new Apple Self Service Repair Online Store. The system is similar to the one the company rolled out for Independent Repair Providers (of which there are currently 2,800 in the U.S. plus 5,000 Apple Authorized Service Providers), beginning with the iPhone 12 and 13, focused on display, battery and camera fixes. A similar service for M1Macs will be launching "soon" after.

"Creating greater access to Apple genuine parts gives our customers even more choice if a repair is needed," COO Jeff Williams said in a release tied to the announcement. "In the past three years, Apple has nearly doubled the number of service locations with access to Apple genuine parts, tools, and training, and now we're providing an option for those who wish to complete their own repairs." Apple hasn't listed specific prices yet, but customers will get a credit toward the final fee if they mail in the damaged component for recycling. When it launches in the U.S. in early-2022, the store will offer some 200 parts and tools to consumers. Performing these tasks at home won't void the device's warranty, though you might if you manage to further damage the product in the process of repairing it -- so hew closely to those manuals. After reviewing that, you can purchase parts from the Apple Self Service Repair Online Store.

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Beginning Next Year, Apple Will Send You Parts and Tools To Fix Your iPhone and Mac at Home

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  • by DontBeAMoran ( 4843879 ) on Wednesday November 17, 2021 @09:13AM (#61995855)

    Did I wake up in the upside-down Bizzaro Universe?

    • Based on some people I know, I predict a lot of repair shops will start offering "Repair your repair" services. These are not impossible repairs but delicate ones that I see the average consumer messing up. It may prove Apple's point to some extent.
      • These are not impossible repairs but delicate ones that I see the average consumer messing up. It may prove Apple's point to some extent.

        In my experience a solid 60% of the population not only abhors repairs, but are incapable of doing any repairs beyond a simple lightbulb change. It’s not stupidity, it’s a strong dislike for the knowledge and skills that leads to general atrophy of that part of their brain. These people existed throughout all history, it’s not new. It should not be legal to lock down all components and disallow repairs in order to gouge people on price, it’s unethical, inefficient, and creates ma

        • Itâ(TM)s not stupidity, itâ(TM)s a strong dislike for the knowledge and skills that leads to general atrophy of that part of their brain. These people existed throughout all history, itâ(TM)s not new.
          That is an hilarious idea.

          If you do not know how to repair, you call one. There most certainly not an inherent dislike to repairs. I for my part do not have the time to figure how to repair my car. So I let an expert do it. Like everyone else who is not a tinkerer by heart. Has nothing to do with

          • A lot of people could probably do some projects on their own even if it requires them to watch videos on YouTube in order to learn how to do them, but without the skills and/or the tools it's usually wiser to hire someone else who does that kind of job all day long.

            • It’s the lack of money and availability of cheap knock off or used parts that usually gets people to try.
        • by flink ( 18449 )

          If I did my own phone repairs, I would probably only do it a handful of times in my entire life. There is a good chance the first couple of times while I was learning I would screw something up and bin a $500 phone. That would wipe all potential future savings I could realize over just paying someone $80 to do it for me. Given that, why wouldn't I pay a repair shop who has someone on hand who's done 100s of repairs and is on the hook if they mess it up?

          For something less fragile, like replacing an LED on

          • I dare you to make less sense. If you can do those things, it’s not a stretch to fix a $500 phone, just requires a delicate touch. It’s pretty unlikely you could completely destroy it, ripping a flat flex ribbon or misaligning a connector when you reassemble is easy to do, but not that expensive to fix. After installing the additional replacement parts you’ll probably be just fine. Just use a reputable repair guide, take photographs before you disassemble, use the correct screwdriver s
      • If the parts are available to users but not independent repair shops then it will be seen as a transparent bid to do just that by Apple.

        If they are available to both then users will have the choice whether to ruin their hardware or take it to a pro. Or for the few who know what they are doing, fix it themselves.

        • They are available to independent shops, but to get the parts, I think you have to sign a contract that says you'll never use third party parts ever. If I were running an independent shop, I'd have the device owner buy direct from Apple to stay out of that contract.

          • I think you have to sign a contract that says you'll never use third party parts ever.
            And on what basis should that work?

            It is illegal in most parts of the world ... you Americans have so silly ideas about "contracts", it is absurd.

            • On the basis that if you don't sign, you can't be an "Independent Repair Provider" and have no way to order parts from them. Contract law in the US does not offer a lot of protections to the people signing.

        • It's absolutely a transparent bid to do just that by Apple.

          If I had an independent repair shop, I'd set up an iMac at the front counter where customers could order Apple parts themselves and had them shipped to me, and offer them the option of me using 3rd party parts if they didn't want to handle the part order from Apple.

          The "authorized" repair shop contracts are onerous. Apple wants control of everything, including your decor. And of course "authorized" shops are banned from using 3rd party parts at al

    • > Did I wake up in the upside-down Bizzaro Universe?

      Would Apple allocate $100M to kill off iFixIt which has been a pain in their side lately regarding RTR?

      • Would Apple allocate $100M to kill off iFixIt which has been a pain in their side lately regarding RTR?

        I mean, that is pocket change for them...

    • Did I wake up in the upside-down Bizzaro Universe?

      I was wondering the same thing. Why does everyone suddenly have a tiny head [apple.com] and a huge body [ispot.tv]?

      • I don't know who they hired to draw those cartoons, but they should find a better artist immediately! Those are crap, I'd never think they came from Apple! Yikes!

    • No, it's a clever marketing ploy. Rather than give independent repair shops what they want, they provide kits directly to users. The users (a significant portion of which are not technically capable of doing this) will screw up their devices and Apple will go to law makers and say "see, we told you so" and thus ending the right to repair efforts.

      They are playing the long game while putting on a friendly face.

      • Why do you think an "independent repair shop" is not a user? Do you think they run their billing software on Windows PCs?

        A independent repair shop is just the same as a private user. That is a no brainer.

        • A independent repair shop is just the same as a private user. That is a no brainer.

          Nope. A private user is my girlfriend, someone who goes online to buy a simple kit for a few dollars to swap a part while watching a youtube video. An independent repair shop is often very much more, the kind of place which will buy esoteric parts, look at schematics, trace faults, and replace complex BGA components using a microscope.

          Saying one is the other is nonsense, but then based on your reply to my other post you not only seem to have completely missed the point, but also seem to not have a clue what

        • by flink ( 18449 )

          An independent repair shop needs to be able to buy the parts wholesale, not as little consumer kits with a bunch of plastic tools included and a 50% markup.

          • And part cost from Apple for "authorized" shops is the same price they charge for the repair including labor at an Apple store. You literally can't make money being "authorized" if you're not at least a few hundred miles from an Apple store, customers will just walk out.

          • An independent repair shop needs to be able to buy the parts wholesale
            And what is preventing them to do so?

  • Shocked I tell you. Never thought I'd see the day. Next we'll learn new iPhones will charge with USB-C!
    • Wonders of regulators stuffing common sense down a megacorp-s throat.
      • Wonders of regulators stuffing common sense down a megacorp-s throat.

        There are lots, and I mean LOTS, of companies who don't sell service parts, service manuals, schematics/mechanical drawings, and have had those policies for Decades.

        But along comes Apple with the same common policies, and suddenly the entire planet wants to be a Repair Tech!

        So now, Apple says “fine”, and now people are STILL suspicious!

        FFS!

  • New butterfly switch keyboard please...
  • Remember one of the big arguments against right-to-repair trotted out in several hearings was "it's dangerous to let non-authorized persons make repairs." Think of the battery fires!

    Clearly it isn't. Question is, were they ever under oath when they made those claims?

    So, I see this as either (a) they are hoping someone does something stupid and blows up a battery so they can back up their claims about it being dangerous, or (b) they figure people won't be able to follow the instructions and will break a lot

    • by Rhipf ( 525263 )

      (c) they finally realize they can sell the parts at an extremely high markup and since they are "official" parts people will buy them instead of the exact same part directly from the manufacturer.

    • the plan is to sell $99 batterys with an $40 return when you sent back the old one so they can kill off the shops that will just do an battery for $29

    • by fermion ( 181285 )
      Apple is merely acknowledging the right to repair, which means consumers have the right to parts and instructions to repair their stuff. It is ownership. If I own the product, I should be able to repair it. The danger cited, which is real, is the high school drop our consumers hire to repair their device, a kid high on fentanyl and pot, will break the phone and steal all the sex videos. Remember Geek Squad?
    • Apple is merely acknowledging the right to repair, which means consumers have the right to parts and instructions to repair their stuff. It is ownership. If I own the product, I should be able to repair it. The danger cited, which is real, is the high school drop our consumers hire to repair their device, a kid high on fentanyl and pot, will break the phone and steal all the sex videos. Remember Geek Squad? With this service, you have the choice of DYI or Apple or letting some perv have your phone.
  • The goal being reducing the revenue of independent repair shops like Rossmann and others.

    Once the shops start faltering, Apple will then change tack once again.

    • No. Cream tends to rise to the top. Lots of places do repairs and service on power equipment in my area, but there's a certified STIHL dealer/repair shop that is factory authorized for other brands and they will repair ANYTHING if you want to spend the money on it.

      They do an excellent job, and, it makes more sense for me to spend the cost of an entry level lawnmower to fix my 16 year old one every 4 or 5 years because of less crap in the landfill.

      If Apple just does what they are saying and nothing
  • The documents may have some minor errors and omissions, the average EE should be able to spot them. Joe phone owner, maybe not. Crush the Bazor! If you can't kill off the fix it shops by denial of info, kill them off by giving the info to everyone.
  • by sonoronos ( 610381 ) on Wednesday November 17, 2021 @10:38AM (#61996131)

    This is good news, but it actually has nothing to do with right to repair.

    Folks like Louis Rossmann and other electronics repairpeople are asking for a heck of a lot more than just some parts, tools, and instructions. They need multi-layer board level schematics in searchable PDF format ala FlexBV (or, heck, gerber or CAD files if they can get them), apple-proprietary discrete components, etc. Louis's big ask is he wants the same components and information that the Apple repair centers have access to.

    Otherwise, this sounds good to me. I don't personally care about whether it's a "good policy" or a "bad policy". It's a policy that gets me the parts I want and need, and can give to a repair shop if need be.

    What really concerns me is the price. If the parts and tools are made available at an affordable price, then I'm all for it. Currently, genuine batteries for macbooks airs and pros older than one or two generations are pretty much impossible to find on the parts reseller market. There are some "trusted" OEM batteries but they have consistently shown inferior battery life compared to the factory battery.

    If it costs just as much as me taking it to Apple to replace, then it's kind of pointless for me, really, compared to the status quo. It might be worth it to someone who doesn't live near an Apple store.

    • This is good news, but it actually has nothing to do with right to repair.

      No I don't think it is. I think they are playing a long game here, putting basic repair kits into the hands of users in the hope that they'll screw up their phones (a good portion will, a screen change or battery replacement is still quite a sensitive operation that can go wrong) and then Apple can go to law makers and say "see, independent repair is dangerous" thus further blocking the right to repair movement.

      Or maybe I'm just old and cynical and Tim Cook was killed and replaced with some alien and decide

    • "Folks like Louis Rossmann and other electronics repairpeople are asking for a heck of a lot more than just some parts, tools, and instructions. They need multi-layer board level schematics in searchable PDF format ala FlexBV (or, heck, gerber or CAD files if they can get them), apple-proprietary discrete components, etc. Louis's big ask is he wants the same components and information that the Apple repair centers have access to."

      I'd be surprised if Apple repair centers had these things. The idea that they

      • I'd be surprised if Apple repair centers had these things. The idea that they waste internal time doing board level component repairs strikes me as... unlikely.

        Yeah, I agree. If they actually find the bug in a particular chip on a swappable sub-assembly, is an Apple repair place going to risk microsoldering the wayward part onto the board, right there - assuming they even have the individual chips on hand - or just replace the entire sub-assembly? At best, they probably ship suspect components back to Apple's engineering department so they can analyze it. In that case, engineering would likely want the entire sub-assembly, anyway.

  • They sent me replacement parts for my iMac G5 well over a decade ago, back when there was a power supply recall.

    Yet they somehow managed to ship the wrong one, despite knowing exactly what model I had.

  • If they were serious about making their devices truly reparable and fixable they would stop gluing things together and stop using non-standard fasteners. If everything was held together with phillips screws a person wouldn't need any "genius" tools.

    There was at time when you could actually replace batteries in phones without tools, even!

    • If everything was held together with phillips screws a person wouldn't need any "genius" tools.

      If everything was held together with phillips screws, then you'd have a ton of stripped screws. Torx screws are usually way better for electronics and Apple has used them in some cases in the past.

    • by flink ( 18449 )

      These phones are designed to be as thin and light weight as possible while having almost no bezel and to be water resistant. I'm not sure you can achieve that without gluing it together and sealing the battery inside. If you want a bulkier phone with easily swapable parts, but which is not IP67 rated, then Apple is probably not the brand you want for a phone.

  • Until we see the actual details. The mention "screen repair", for instance - let's see if this amounts to more than Apple sending people a Genuine Polishing Cloth for buffing out minor scratches.

  • Something doesn't add up here. Offer customers the tools and parts but not repair shops? Is the goal here to price the replacement parts so high that taking the parts to the repair shop plus the shop's labor would always be too costly? Is Apple somehow trying to drive repair shops out of business with this tactic? Does Apple actually think my mom could replace an iPhone screen on her own? Again, something doesn't add up. Apple is sneaky ... looking forward to seeing where this fiasco ends up.
  • Does it come with a hammer?

  • If you do something "voluntarily" , then you stave off regulation.
    You can alway pull back claiming "see things went wrong", but if regulated it will be "Meh, tough"

    We will see if they offer parts for hardware outside of Apples "AppleCare" period, ie the time when service parts are actually needed by consumers trying to keep a useable device alive for a few years longer.

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