Apple on Wednesday announced its “Self Service Repair” program, which will allow Apple users to complete their own repairs via a new online store dedicated to parts and tools.
Customers who are comfortable with completing their own repairs will have access to Apple genuine parts and tools. 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.
Apple’s surprise move is a major win for Right to Repair advocates and while repair outlets are pleased with the new program, many say there is still a ways to go.
Device repair and teardown site iFixit says that its is “excited” about the news, and is hopeful that Apple will be providing customers with the same information that it gives to Apple Authorized Service Providers.
iFixit says Apple is finally acknowledging that consumers can do repairs to their devices without harm to the consumers or their devices. “We’re thrilled to see Apple admit what we’ve always known: Everyone’s enough of a genius to fix an iPhone,” reads iFixit’s coverage of Apple’s announcement.
It’s a joint responsibility, and for the last few decades too many manufacturers have been shirking theirs. They stopped selling parts. They sent lawyers after folks like Tim Hicks, an Australian kid who just wanted to share repair manuals with his friends https://t.co/DdPjxl6yS4
— Kyle Wiens (@kwiens) November 17, 2021
Other Right to Repair advocates also see Apple’s move as a win for Right to Repair but say there is still more to be done.
Big cave by Apple, but the devil is in the details. This is far off the requirements of #righttorepair but proves that legislators are on the right track making similar requirements more broadly. https://t.co/Ms99LIgwcc
— Right to Repair (@RepairCoalition) November 17, 2021
Self Service Repair is intended for individual technicians with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices.
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 parts 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.
