Apple has announced that it will let its users fix the latest models of their phones and will even provide the necessary original tools and parts.
However for now, this will only be applicable to the 12 and 13 series of the iPhone, which the specialized media describe as true pieces of engineering due to the number of screws and how compact all the components are.
Apple said the “self-service repair” program aims to allow “comfortable customers” to fix their own devices .
It will begin early next year in the United States and will cover the replacement of batteries, screens and cameras of the brand’s latest models, the parts that usually suffer the most damage, although in its new Apple repair store it will sell more than 200 pieces. and tools.
Throughout 2022 it will be expanded to other countries, the firm said in a statement.
The announcement comes after months of mounting pressure on Apple from the “right to repair movement,” which wants people and independent repair shops to be able to restore devices while reducing electronic waste .
Repair market
Apple has often been regarded as one of the fiercest opponents of this right, citing security concerns.
In fact, almost no tech company provides parts or manuals for repairs.
Critics say this will allow them to dominate the aftermarket for repairs and ensure that only their staff can fix their products.
That changes?
The ifixit firm has been a pioneer in this movement for years, offering manuals and instructions at a time when there was no user-level guide.
“Apple has long claimed that allowing consumers to fix their own stuff would be dangerous,” iFixit said in a media statement.
“Now, given the renewed interest of governments in the repair markets , and shortly after the notable bad press … Apple has found an unexpected interest in allowing people to fix their devices.”
“It will be possible to do a type of repair that will be impossible before,” explains iFixit.
“A user can now purchase an iPhone screen directly from Apple, use the firm’s repair guide (and official tools, if desired) to install it and make it work fully as intended, using Apple’s diagnostic software. “, Add.
In addition, the user will not have to go to an authorized repair shop to carry out the process.
However, Apple did want to emphasize that this is not for everyone.
It is aimed at “individual technicians with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices.”
“For the vast majority of customers,” visiting a certified professional repair shop would be a better option.
“Creating greater access to Genuine Apple parts offers our customers even more options if a repair is needed,” said Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams.
“It may be a small step at a general level, but for Apple to do it, it is a great victory for the movement for the right to repair,” said the specialized media Hardware Canucks.
Apple’s authorized repair network has long been criticized for having extensive terms and restrictions, such as the origin of replacement parts.
All this makes it unlikely that a component that works inside a broken phone can be reused and transplanted to another smartphone from the company.
Science also has a lot to say in this. A phone that cannot be recycled ends up in the trash, damaging the environment and exacerbating the depletion of minerals needed to produce technology.