Apple surprised the world this morning with a new program called "Self Service Repair" which will allow customers access to genuine Apple parts, tools, and manuals for making their own device repairs.
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Apple's decision to give customers unprecedented access to repair guidelines and hardware is a major win for Right to Repair advocates, and we're starting to hear from repair outlets that are pleased with the decision.
iFixit is excited about the news and hopes that Apple will give customers the same information it gives to Apple Authorized Service Providers.
iFixit points out that Apple's decision to acknowledge that repairs can be done without harm to consumers is a huge blow to the Right to Repair movement. Apple had previously argued that customers could be injured by accidentally puncturing a battery during a device repair. iFixit's coverage of Apple's announcement states that everyone is capable of fixing an iPhone.
Kyle Wiens, iFixit founder and CEO, said on the social networking site that Apple's decision marks a "total shift in perspective" and that there is hope that this is a step toward making devices last longer.
It may seem like a small thing, but Apple is going to publish free manual and sell parts to their customers. It is a total shift in perspective. This is a partnership. We are on the universe together.
iFixit points out that there are a number of unknowns and hiccups. It's unlikely that Apple will allow customers to use parts that are not from the online store Apple is building, and the ready availability of official parts could see Apple restrict the use of third-party parts or parts salvaged from other.
The Right to Repair Coalition and iFixit agree that Apple's move is a win for them.
The devil is in the details of the cave. This is far off the requirements of the #righttorepair but it shows that legislators are on the right track.
Kevin O'Reilly, a repair advocate, said Apple's move was a huge win, but that concrete reforms are still needed.
This is a big deal for the right to repair. One of the most visible opponents to repair access is reversing course, and Apple's move shows that what repair advocates have been asking for was always possible.
Independent shops don't have full access to repair materials. The parts will be serialized to individual devices. There are other manufacturers that we cannot fix. Kevin O'Reilly wrote "5/" on November 17, 2011.
Apple's Self Service Repair program will launch in the United States in early 2022. Apple will expand to additional countries throughout the year of 2022, and will also work to support more repairs and devices over time.
