Apple Switches Stance on Right to Repair

Want to repair your iPhone or MacBook on your own? Apple not only allows it now, but you can even buy genuine parts directly from the manufacturer.

A surprising turn of events for the tech giant notorious for making customers’ lives overly complicated happened this week as Apple announced Self Service Repair. Starting early 2022, customers who own an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 smartphone will be able to repair their own devices and order official parts directly from Apple. The program will start by offering replacement screens, cameras, and batteries, later to be expanded to other M1-powered devices. US customers will be the first to test this service, with more territories to follow shortly.

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

Apple has been notoriously anti-repair for years, so much so that recent iPhone devices have sensors that prevent them from working if they detect any kind of tampering, especially with third-party replacement parts. Repair shops and customers alike have been calling out the company on many occasions, and, in their words, this is a step in the right direction, even if it’s not fully opening up the ecosystem.

The Self Service Repair will be centralized around a store. Apple claims there will be over 200 different parts to pick and choose from, although only for the most recent iPhones and not for older models, which are still popular as phones for music lovers and amateur photographers. Once the customer reviews the repair guide, they’ll be able to place an order and even get some store credit when they send in their used parts. The service will also be open for authorized repair shops and independent repair providers, although pricing has yet to be announced.