Apple is giving iPhone & Mac users (more) rights to repair

I can imagine the moment the designer drew this blueprint after so many iterations

Apple has taken a step toward giving its customers the right to repair their devices with a new scheme it has called Self Service Repair. Under this scheme it will supply genuine Apple parts, tools and manuals to people who feel confident to repair their own devices. The scheme starts next year.

How Self Service Repair will work

Available first for iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 devices, and soon to be followed by Mac computers featuring M1 chips, Self Service Repair will be available early next year in the US and expand to additional countries in 2022.

To order components customers will first need to review the relevant product Repair Manual. They will then be able to order the parts and tools they need via the Apple Self Service Repair Online Store. Apple says the new store will offer more than 200 individual parts and tools, enabling customers to complete the most common repairs on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13.

Reflecting the company’s continued push toward developing a green supply chain, once they have repaired their device, customers who return their used parts for recycling will receive credit towards their purchase.

The company is rolling this out over time.

When the service debuts in the US wannabe iPhone repairers will be able to obtain and replace only the most serviced components –display, battery and camera. The ability for additional repairs (and, I guess, the availability of other components) will be made available later next year.

Self Service Repair is intended for individual technicians with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices. For most customers, visiting a professional repair provider with certified technicians who use genuine Apple parts is the safest and most reliable way to get something fixed.

What Apple said

“Creating greater access to Apple genuine parts gives our customers even more choice if a repair is needed,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “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.”

The rapidly expanding Independent Repair Provider program originally launched in the US in 2019 and has since grown to more than 200 countries, enabling independent repair shops to access the same training, parts, and tools as other Apple Authorized Service Providers.

Eight out of ten U.S. Apple customers live within 20 minutes of an authorized service provider.

What it means

Apple has made frequent public statements that show how it thinks about its products. For the past few years it has actively worked to ensure its devices enjoy lengthy usable lives. iOS 15, for example, still supports the iPhone 6S, which is a six-year-old device. No other manufacturer does this.

“By designing products for durability, longevity, and increased repairability, customers enjoy a long-lasting product that holds its value for years. Apple also offers years of software updates to introduce new features and functionality,” the company says.

Speaking at the UN Climate Change Summit in 2020, Apple CEO Tim Cook said:

“We see every part of our device lifecycle from design to manufacturing to durability and repair to recycling, as an opportunity for environmental innovation, moving us toward our goal of a closed loop supply chain, the choice between the bottom line and the future of our planet is a false one. And each new green innovation offers the proof.

“This is no time for changes at the margins. Together we can transition to a carbon neutral economy and usher in a new era of inclusive opportunity. This is a moment for ambition, cooperation, and leadership.”

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