November 18, 2021
Apple has finally caved into its fight against the right to repair with a press release announcing its new Self Service Repair program.
Based on its iPhone 12 and 13 devices, Apple now plans to make Self Service Repair available in the US by early 2022 and expand to other countries over the next year.
Available components start with common components such as displays, batteries and cameras that can be replaced, while less common components will be available much later. Apple also wants to extend the program to M1 Macs.
The likelihood that the new program is a result of repair laws that will be implemented in the EU in early 2021 is extremely high, as Apple often mentions the durability and life of the devices in its Self Service Repair announcement.
These laws only cover products such as home appliances and televisions, all of which must have a repair period of 10 years.
Even if computers are not explicitly included, the right to repair is still enshrined in many companies, such as Apple and Microsoft, that may try to get ahead of regulatory bodies.
Apple advises users interested in repairs at home to first read the repair manual on their device to see if the user can start the repair process. The next step is to order parts from the Apple Self Service Repair Online Store, which will contain more than 200 individual parts and tools and has yet to be launched.
Apple announced it would offer a discount to customers who return broken parts for recycling.
For more information, read the original story in TechRepublic.
