Apple announces Self Service Repair

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CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced Self Service Repair, which will allow customers who are comfortable with completing their own repairs 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. Customers join more than 5,000 Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs) and 2,800 Independent Repair Providers who have access to these parts, tools, and manuals.
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.”

 
Still trying to work up the courage to change my SE battery. I’ll rebuild an engine but taking a phone apart might as well be rocket science.
 
go on ebay and buy quality parts and find the guides online for free. I agree, this is nothing more than a PR stunt especially since they are starting the program with newer phones.
 
Great move from Apple, surprising given their history of device policies yet welcome. I hope other companies follow.

The hardest problem with changing batteries, is finding a full capacity replacement. If the device is old enough, manufacturers stop making new batteries so the OEM ones have been sitting on a shelf gradually losing their capacity. Aftermarket batteries are a crapshoot. The net result is the new battery may be as old and tired as the one you are replacing.
 
I'll believe it when I see it, the last time they announced a program like this for small independent repair shops, it was a complete farce.
 
Still trying to work up the courage to change my SE battery. I’ll rebuild an engine but taking a phone apart might as well be rocket science.
Just take it to Apple, they charge $49.

It’s a great idea… but we’ll see how they actually implement it. If they’re going to charge insane prices for the parts it ends up being kind of a useless program.
 
I wouldn't imagine it would be more than about $$60-80 to get a shop to do it for you?

Apple doesn't charge that much, but then they have all these rules on what they will or won't service. I'm not sure if they would do it for my iPhone, which has a tiny chip in the corner of the front glass. I don't believe it's anything that should preclude a battery service, but they might consider this a disqualifying issue unless I agree to pay for a glass replacement on top of it.

I have an iPad Mini 4 which was dropped a few times and is slightly bent. I took it to an Apple Store and they said they couldn't give me a battery service, and noted that in the file for my device (using the serial number). I could get it completely replaced, but not for the battery service price. Apple doesn't actually replace the batteries, but swaps the entire device with a refurbished unit with a new battery. These refurb units are for all sorts of things, including complete damage. I heard that's how they used to handle iPhone batteries, where a "battery service" was a complete swap for a battery service price.
 
I read the comments and think to myself, darn, these Apple products are so good people actually want them repaired because they know they will continue to have long life vs. throw away devices that no one cares to repair.

Just kidding around but there is some truth to it. Its the only phone I ever hear about people wanting to repair at least that I know of.
 
I read the comments and think to myself, darn, these Apple products are so good people actually want them repaired because they know they will continue to have long life vs. throw away devices that no one cares to repair.

Just kidding around but there is some truth to it. Its the only phone I ever hear about people wanting to repair at least that I know of.
High end Android devices are the same way, people buy a $1000 phone they can't straight up afford to replace, so the have it fixed when they break it, the majority of Android users end up replacing their phone when it breaks because they've usually had it a few years and it was only a mid-range or low end device to begin with so they're going to a buy a newer upgraded mid range or low end device to replace it. The worst thing in the industry now is glued in batteries, given how difficult they are to replace and sometimes almost impossible to find a replacement from a reputable source, many phones are getting trash canned when they still have a lot of life left due to non-user serviceable batteries.
 
High end Android devices are the same way, people buy a $1000 phone they can't straight up afford to replace, so the have it fixed when they break it, the majority of Android users end up replacing their phone when it breaks because they've usually had it a few years and it was only a mid-range or low end device to begin with so they're going to a buy a newer upgraded mid range or low end device to replace it. The worst thing in the industry now is glued in batteries, given how difficult they are to replace and sometimes almost impossible to find a replacement from a reputable source, many phones are getting trash canned when they still have a lot of life left due to non-user serviceable batteries.

Yup, been using cell phones for 20 years.
Know all about batteries, thought it was a dumb move to non replaceable batteries, only thing is in the last 15 years I don’t ever remember having to replace one.
I buy a new phone every 2 years but now in the Apple world for the first time 2 years ago with this fantastic IPhone XR this will be the first time in 20 years I’m going to use it for 3 years then will swap it out for an iPhone 12 Dec 2022.
Wife was so impressed with my iPhone she abandoned Android a year later and got a iPhone 11.
Anyway we never repaired or replaced the battery in any phone with any operating system. I don’t know, I just would be bored using the same phone for too long.
 
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