UPDATED: 28 May 2024 - Apple has still not made its Self Service Repair kits with genuine Apple parts, tools and manuals, available to purchase in Australia. This is despite the launch of the service in early 2022 in the United States, and since across 31 European countries. There is no ETA on availability for Australian consumers.
In late 2021, Apple announced a Self Service Repair program which will allow customers "who are comfortable with completing their own repairs" to purchase Apple repair kits with genuine parts and tools.
So how comfortable does a consumer need to be to attempt an iPhone repair?
Here is what we know at May 2024.
UPDATED: As at May 2024, Apple has still not made its Self Service Repair kits available to purchase in Australia. This is despite the launch in early 2022 in the United States, and in most European countries including the United Kingdom.
Apple Self Service Repair Shop Chatbot on 28 May 2024
The Self Service Repair program currently covers the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models, and some Mac computers featuring M1 chips.
Repair kits will be restricted to "the most commonly serviced modules, such as the iPhone display, battery, and camera."
This won't help consumers with older phones who are more likely to need a repair, with replacement batteries not usually needed until 18 months-2 years after purchase.
As anyone who has cracked a screen will attest, the cost of repairing an iPhone has always been eye-wateringly expensive. And it is the price of the genuine Apple parts that have made up a large component of the bill.
With each iteration of the iPhone the cost of repair seems to rise. iPhone 12 repairs rose by 30% compared with the iPhone 11. Apple is charging more than A$439 to fix an iPhone 12 screen outside of warranty and A$309 for the iPhone 11 screen replacement.
You can check out the pricing in US $ by logging onto the US shop site here.
There is a Tool Kit rental price of US$49 but this won't be of any use to Australian consumers as it ships only within mainland USA and is for a rental duration of 7 days.
Pretty obvious really - 'how to' guides, manuals, tools, and parts. Apple will be supporting the service with 'How to' videos.
Kevin Purdy, a writer for online repair guide site iFixit, says Apple could sell various adhesives, specialty tools, individual screws, fasteners, custom presses, electrostatic discharge mats, and more.
If you have difficulty with an Ikea flatpack, it might be wise to steer clear of tackling your iPhone self-repair. The iPhone is an intricate piece of electronics and has always been infamously difficult to repair.
The components are tiny, fragile and integrated. There is glue, glass, fasteners, software pairing, sensors...etc.
Apple says its Self Repair program "is intended for individual technicians with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices."
They warn "For the vast majority of customers, visiting a professional repair provider with certified technicians who use genuine Apple parts is the safest and most reliable way to get a repair."
This is likely to be a significant risk factor for the average uninitiated consumer. The answer is probably to take your botched repair to an authorised repairer. Or Apple does offer this option...."following the 'repair', customers who return their used part for recycling will receive credit toward their purchase."
Organisations are going to have to decide whether they want to let employees loose on their corporate-owned devices. In theory the repair of a screen or replacement of a battery in itself, should not raise security concerns. However other questions might arise around workplace health and safety. reimbursement of expenses, and what happens if the repair fails.
An organisation might also see value in completing their own repairs inhouse. Typically a non-warranty repair would be prohibitively expensive and would take a minimum of two weeks with an obvious impact on productivity. If basic repairs like screen and battery replacements can be completed inhouse this could be a process improvement for organisations.
It is worth noting that any device that needs to be repaired or replaced by an authorised Apple repair centre will simply swap in a replacement device with a new imei number, and IT administrators will need to update the Corporate Asset Registry, enrol the device, and add any custom corporate apps and email.
The Self Service Repair program, quietly announced by media release, is a seismic shift for Apple. [Only not so seismic for Australians, New Zealanders or in fact anyone outside of the USA and Europe, as two years on there is still no availability directly for our markets].
Apple has fought against independent repair for years by restricting access to parts, manuals, and diagnostic tools; by designing products that are difficult to fix; and by lobbying against laws that would enshrine the right to repair.
This move appears to be Apple’s primary strategy for getting out in front of potential regulatory action from the US Federal Trade Commission, who, in July 2021, pledged to address unlawful right to repair restrictions. That pledge came days after a White House Executive Order saw President Biden call on the FTC to crack down on “unfair anticompetitive restrictions on third-party repair or self-repair of items..."
At the same time Apple shareholder, Century Capital Management°, in September 2021 filed a shareholder resolution asking Apple to reconsider the "risks posed by the restrictive nature of the company’s product repair policies."
Photo Credit: Apple Inc.
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