Apple on Wednesday announced Self Service Repair, which will allow customers who are comfortable with completing their own repairs access to Apple genuine parts and tools, for the first time.
Right-to-repair has been a controversial topic, for years, with repair shops and lobbyists advocating reforms that will enable individual iPhone or Mac owners to fix their devices while Apple kicked against it, citing concerns about the safety of third-party parts.
Succumbing to users’ demand, Apple is making available repair parts for customers. The service will be available first for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineups, 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 throughout 2022, the company said.
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Apple has more than 5,000 Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs) and 2,800 Independent Repair Providers, who have now been joined by customers to access repair parts, tools, and manuals.
Apple said the initial phase of the program will focus on the most commonly serviced modules, such as the iPhone display, battery, and camera. The ability for additional repairs will be available later next year.
“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.”
Biden’s administration and the watchdog, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have upped the anti-monopoly ante, a signal Apple seems to have caught to bend its rigid repair rules.
Apple builds durable products designed to endure the rigors of everyday use. When an Apple product requires repair, it can be serviced by trained technicians using Apple genuine parts at thousands of locations, including Apple (in-store or by mail), AASPs, Independent Repair Providers.
Self Service Repair
However, the self-service repair poses a challenge for individual users without repair certification, who may want to fix their devices at home without contact with Apple. To address this challenge, Apple provides the guidelines below.
To ensure a customer can safely perform a repair, it’s important they first review the Repair Manual. Then a customer will place an order for the Apple genuine parts and tools using the Apple Self Service Repair Online Store. Following the repair, customers who return their used part for recycling will receive credit toward their purchase.
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.
Self Service Repair is intended for individual technicians with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices. For the vast majority of customers, visiting a professional repair provider with certified technicians who use genuine Apple parts is the safest and most reliable way to get a repair.
Apple did not say how much the repair parts will cost. However, the move is suggesting that the smartphone maker is increasingly compromising its rigid rules to avoid a penalty from the FTC.