A apple will release parts of iPhones and Macs for home repairs. The company plans to start selling parts and tools and offering instructions on how to repair Apple products at home without having to take them to a third-party store.
The company plans to kick things off with the iPhone 12 and 13, followed by Macs with M1 chips. You'll be able to replace your iPhone's screen, battery, and camera using Apple parts, with other options available later.
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This is a big change from Apple, which has historically been resistant to the right to repair movement and any repairs taking place outside of its own stores. Just this week, Apple was changing software that prevented Face ID from working if customers replaced the screen.
self-service program
Apple is calling the program “Self-Service” and it will launch “early next year” in the US and then expand to other countries. The company states that the program is only intended for “individual technicians with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices” and that most customers have yet to look for a professional.
But Apple is at least now offering an option for customers who are comfortable doing the repair themselves. Critically, doing these repairs yourself won't void your device's warranty, according to TechCrunch, though it might damage your device in the process.
The move also helps further entrench Apple in the repair process. The company already has a program in place to sell "genuine" parts to third-party repair shops, and today's announcement makes it even more likely that customers buy full-price parts from Apple – parts that don't disarm the iPhone's systems that try to avoid using components that weren't purchased from Apple.
Apple claims it plans to sell "more than 200 individual parts and tools". The company will also offer repair manuals that customers can read before purchasing parts.
Prices for parts and tools have not been announced. Apple says customers can receive a recycling credit for returning their used parts after a repair is completed.