Right to Repair advocates aren't sold on Apple's Self Service Repair program

Posted:
in General Discussion edited May 2022
Right to repair advocates and organizations say that the launch of Apple's new Self Service Repair program is a great step, but added that there are still "too many hoops to jump through."

Apple Repair Program
Apple Repair Program


Nathan Proctor, the right to repair campaign director of the U.S. Public Research Interest Research Group, said that the organization is "really pleased to see" the new program. The U.S. PIRG previously gave Apple an "F" score for its difficult product repairs.

The U.S. PIRG director added that Apple's program is a sign that Right to Repair its "breaking through." However, he said that the iPhone maker is still exerting too much control over the process.

"While this is a start, there are still too many hoops to jump through to fix phones. As it's becoming clear that Apple and other manufacturers can give us the Right to Repair, we should require them to," Proctor said. "And we should have more options. Not just one set of parts. Not just a few manufacturers. No product should be tossed in the scrap heap, wasting money and adding to our toxic electronic waste problem, because the manufacturer doesn't properly support repair."

Similarly on Wednesday, the repair experts at iFixit praised Apple's program as a good first step, stating that "anything that enables more people to do repairs is great news." However, iFixit noted that the company is still "doubling down on their parts pairing strategy, enabling only very limited, serial number-authorized repairs."

"While it's a great step for repair, and a change of course for the mighty Apple, the program doesn't do what Right to Repair legislation around the world aims to do," iFixit's Elizabeth Chamberlain said. "A true right to repair will give independent repair shops a chance to compete in the repair marketplace, bringing down the cost of repairs for everyone."

Apple launched the Self Service Repair program for iPhones earlier on Wednesday, creating a dedicated storefront for ordering iPhone parts and making available a number of repair documents. Similar repair resource access is also coming to the Mac down the road.

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    baconstangbaconstang Posts: 1,103member
    Riiight.
    And nobody wants to pay their mechanic, plumber, doctor, attorney, or any professional that will fix their problems...
    Boo Hoo.
    mwhiteAppleSince1976mike1watto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 2 of 14
    Mac4macMac4mac Posts: 15member
    You just can’t please some people!! 
    Apple has released the documents detailing what to do, and you can buy or hire the tools too! However, anyone who has actually tried to repair a modern iPhone (or even a modern iMac) will know that unless you’ve been shown how to do it by someone who really knows all the tricks etc, there’s a huge chance you’ll break the screen/ screw it up/ break something during your first attempt. For the most part, probably 90% of the user base would rather give their iPhone to a repair person than go through all that hassle to then break something and have to get it repaired by a professional anyway. 
    So what Apple has done should make it easier for the current “unauthorised” repair shops to get legitimate parts (albeit at a likely higher price) and offer you a choice of a repair using authentic parts or a repair using China knockoffs. 
    It shouldn’t be understated, this is a seismic shift for Apple, and they should get credit where credit is due! 
    mwhitemuthuk_vanalingammac daddy zeewatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 3 of 14
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member
    It's hilarious that anyone believed for a second that "right to repair" extremists would be satisfied or happy about anything. It's all a farce. These people are by nature anti-Apple trolls to begin with, so they'd never give Apple a shred of credit no matter how far Apple goes. 
    AppleSince1976lkruppmike1StrangeDayswatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 4 of 14
    stompystompy Posts: 408member
    In other news, Old Man Yells at Cloud.
    looplessbaconstangmac daddy zeeKuyangkohAppleSince1976StrangeDayswatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 5 of 14
    slurpy said:
    It's hilarious that anyone believed for a second that "right to repair" extremists would be satisfied or happy about anything. It's all a farce. These people are by nature anti-Apple trolls to begin with, so they'd never give Apple a shred of credit no matter how far Apple goes. 
    It'll be the same story if Apple ever allows side loading on iOS.
    baconstangKuyangkohAppleSince1976lkruppllamawatto_cobrajony0stompy
  • Reply 6 of 14
    applguyapplguy Posts: 235member
    Pathetic. I don’t see a problem with Apple’s self repair service and parts. Did they expect Apple to sell non-OEM parts. Wouldn’t that be the same as me going to the Porsche, BMW, Ferrari, Toyota dealer and asking to buy a knockoff of their OEM part because it might be less expensive? Why would I even expect the original manufacture to offer that. 
    baconstangAppleSince1976rob53llamamike1StrangeDayswatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 7 of 14
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,949member
    Are Android phones easier to self repair? Just asking. 
    watto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 8 of 14
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Which components are they talking about? I can fully understand imagine with some components Apple have very legitimate reason to restrict manufacturers, but with others it’ll be a touch overkill.  Given that it’s Apple it’s probably accurate to assume that it applies to all components from screen to screw, in absurdly onerous conditions.
    elijahg
  • Reply 9 of 14
    petripetri Posts: 118member
    When the cost of parts Apple are selling for “self repair” are greater than the cost of getting Apple to do the repair for you, then something is obviously wrong.  I’m perfectly capable of replacing an iphone screen, I’ve replaced several, but since I’m doing the work myself I really ought to be making a considerable saving even when using an apple quality part.  That’s not the case under the scheme they’ve launched.
    elijahg
  • Reply 10 of 14
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,834member
    applguy said:
    Pathetic. I don’t see a problem with Apple’s self repair service and parts. Did they expect Apple to sell non-OEM parts. Wouldn’t that be the same as me going to the Porsche, BMW, Ferrari, Toyota dealer and asking to buy a knockoff of their OEM part because it might be less expensive? Why would I even expect the original manufacture to offer that. 
    Right!?
    watto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 11 of 14
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,834member
    petri said:
    When the cost of parts Apple are selling for “self repair” are greater than the cost of getting Apple to do the repair for you, then something is obviously wrong.  I’m perfectly capable of replacing an iphone screen, I’ve replaced several, but since I’m doing the work myself I really ought to be making a considerable saving even when using an apple quality part.  That’s not the case under the scheme they’ve launched.
    Can you quote us? Because this AI story directly contradicts your claim w/ the prices they list for battery vs battery-repair cost.

    https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/04/27/apple-launches-self-service-repair-service-for-iphones

    Following core part return, that makes the battery repair $46.84 for the iPhone 12. The after-return prices for battery repair part swaps for other iPhone models range from $26.11 for the 2022 iPhone SE, to $46.85 for the iPhone 13 Pro Max bundle.

    That $46.84 battery replacement cost is cheaper than Apple's own in-store repair charge of $69.
    edited April 2022 watto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 12 of 14
    petripetri Posts: 118member
    petri said:
    When the cost of parts Apple are selling for “self repair” are greater than the cost of getting Apple to do the repair for you, then something is obviously wrong.  I’m perfectly capable of replacing an iphone screen, I’ve replaced several, but since I’m doing the work myself I really ought to be making a considerable saving even when using an apple quality part.  That’s not the case under the scheme they’ve launched.
    Can you quote us? Because this AI story directly contradicts your claim w/ the prices they list for battery vs battery-repair cost.

    https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/04/27/apple-launches-self-service-repair-service-for-iphones

    Following core part return, that makes the battery repair $46.84 for the iPhone 12. The after-return prices for battery repair part swaps for other iPhone models range from $26.11 for the 2022 iPhone SE, to $46.85 for the iPhone 13 Pro Max bundle.

    That $46.84 battery replacement cost is cheaper than Apple's own in-store repair charge of $69.
    I was talking about replacing the screen, a very common repair especially when you have somewhat clumsy family members as I do.

    According to AI’s article on repairs vs Genius Bar, it costs $279 for an out of warranty screen repair by a genius, or - wait for it - $285 to do it yourself.  That’s clearly nuts. https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/04/27/apples-self-repair-program-vs-genius-bar-what-it-costs-to-fix-an-iphone-13

    Admittedly you could potentially take $50 off that if you don’t rent Apple’s toolkit, but you’d still only be saving $45 total for doing all the work and taking all the risk yourself.  Which means - looking at it the other way - that we’re supposed to believe that Apple, when they do the repair, are only charging $45 for their time, labour, and guarantee on the work, and the rest is all parts cost… really?  Seems like they probably inflated the parts cost to me.
  • Reply 13 of 14
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    petri said:
    petri said:
    When the cost of parts Apple are selling for “self repair” are greater than the cost of getting Apple to do the repair for you, then something is obviously wrong.  I’m perfectly capable of replacing an iphone screen, I’ve replaced several, but since I’m doing the work myself I really ought to be making a considerable saving even when using an apple quality part.  That’s not the case under the scheme they’ve launched.
    Can you quote us? Because this AI story directly contradicts your claim w/ the prices they list for battery vs battery-repair cost.

    https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/04/27/apple-launches-self-service-repair-service-for-iphones

    Following core part return, that makes the battery repair $46.84 for the iPhone 12. The after-return prices for battery repair part swaps for other iPhone models range from $26.11 for the 2022 iPhone SE, to $46.85 for the iPhone 13 Pro Max bundle.

    That $46.84 battery replacement cost is cheaper than Apple's own in-store repair charge of $69.
    I was talking about replacing the screen, a very common repair especially when you have somewhat clumsy family members as I do.

    According to AI’s article on repairs vs Genius Bar, it costs $279 for an out of warranty screen repair by a genius, or - wait for it - $285 to do it yourself.  That’s clearly nuts. https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/04/27/apples-self-repair-program-vs-genius-bar-what-it-costs-to-fix-an-iphone-13

    Admittedly you could potentially take $50 off that if you don’t rent Apple’s toolkit, but you’d still only be saving $45 total for doing all the work and taking all the risk yourself.  Which means - looking at it the other way - that we’re supposed to believe that Apple, when they do the repair, are only charging $45 for their time, labour, and guarantee on the work, and the rest is all parts cost… really?  Seems like they probably inflated the parts cost to me.
    The price of third party parts come in pretty close to Apple’s. If they’re inflating prices it doesn’t seem to be by much.

    e.g. https://m.aliexpress.com/item/1005003372095236.html


    watto_cobra
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