Apple has announced that it will start selling online the parts and tools needed to repair your Mac or iPhone yourself. The beginning of a new era for the Californian giant?
Repairing iPhones 12 and 13
This is a first for the American multinational. Starting in early 2022, Apple will release parts and tools that allow any individual to repair certain models of iPhones. This is what the firm announced this November 17, in a press release. As a result, Apple’s new Self Service Repair online store will offer U.S. users nearly 200 parts and tools designed to fix the most common problems around the screens, batteries and cameras of iPhone 12 and 13 models. Its inventory is expected to grow over time to include parts and components to repair some MacBook computers.
Customers will receive the same pricing on parts and tools as independent repair shops. In addition, after a repair, they will be able to send their used parts back to the company for a discount.
“Creating greater access to Apple Genuine Parts gives our customers even more choices if a repair is needed,” said Jeff Williams, chief operating officer at Apple. “Over the past three years, Apple has nearly doubled the number of service locations with access to genuine Apple parts, tools and training, and we now offer an option for those who want to do their own repairs,” he added.
A long-awaited measure
Wednesday’s announcement comes after years of pressure from consumer groups to make Apple’s repair manuals and genuine parts more accessible to users.
Currently, an individual wishing to repair his Apple device himself must consult repair guides produced by third-party companies or individuals, and find parts on the Internet whose quality is often questionable. To top it off, Apple products are known to be particularly complicated to repair. This year indeed, the tech giant was attacked by Internet users for the difficulty of troubleshooting the screen of its iPhone 13, while the breakage of the screen was the most common failure in smartphones of the brand. And if it was until now possible to change it on an iPhone, by yourself or by a repairman, it was no longer possible with the new Apple model.
But as of 2019, independent repair shops can purchase Apple parts, tools and manuals. Today, the U.S. company supports nearly 2,800 independent shops, in addition to its 5,000 officially authorized repairers. With this new project, individuals will be able to access parts that comply with Apple standards: a new step forward for the Californian giant.
However, it’s important to note that Apple won’t be the first tech giant to sell aftermarket parts to its customers. In Canada, for example, the manufacturer Huawei already offers on its site the parts necessary to repair all its products released in the last four years.
Apple plans to expand this project to the rest of the world later this year. In the meantime, communities likeiFixit offer free repair manuals on their online platform to help individuals repair their devices.
