Apple, which has been criticized for its lack of innovation, has finally “gotten back” to the game with an alternative innovation. on November 18, according to Apple’s official website, the company will launch a self-service repair plan that will allow customers to get original Apple parts and tools to repair their devices. The self-service repair plan will start early next year in the United States, and will be extended to other countries in 2022 or later. For Apple’s move, the industry’s analysis differs, with some analysts pointing out that this is to combat third-party repair channels, and some experts pointing out that this instead gives unofficial repair channels a chance to grow.
Self-service repair plan
The self-service repair plan launched by Apple will first be applied to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 series products, and Mac computers equipped with M1 chips will also join soon.
The initial phase of the plan will focus on the components that most often require repair services, such as the iPhone display, battery and camera. Self-service repairs for other parts will open later next year. Customers will have access to these parts, tools and manuals, as will more than 5,000 Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs) and 2,800 independent repair providers.
Letting consumers repair their own phones, I have to say, Apple is really “innovative” this time, and should be the first company in the industry to dare to launch such a service.
What exactly did Apple think? This reporter interviewed Apple China about the reasons for the launch of this plan, and the other side said that the official release of the news shall prevail.
According to Jeff Williams, the company’s chief operating officer on Apple’s official website, further opening up access to original Apple parts will give customers more options when they need to repair their devices: “Over the past three years, Apple has nearly doubled the number of service locations with access to original Apple parts, tools and training, and now we’re offering new options for users who want to complete repairs on their own.
The reporter interviewed several more Chinese consumers, but they all expressed more resistance to the idea of the plan. Ms. Zhang said bluntly, “Can I repair it myself? In case it’s repaired, it’s not something that costs tens of RMB yuan.”
Mr. Wang believes that if there is no price concession, then certainly will not do their own hands to repair, but also to take certain risks, “and if you do not promise the risk of damage guarantee, then it is more loss, and this just reduces the cost of Apple after-sales, for the general public unless it is interested, or less willing to do this time-consuming and unappealing things.”
For consumer concerns, Apple specifically stated in the announcement that the self-service repair plan is available to technicians with knowledge and experience in electronic device repair, and that for the vast majority of customers, the safest and most reliable way to obtain repair services is to go to a professional repair service provider and have the device repaired by a certified technician using original Apple parts.
To ensure that repairs are completed safely, customers must first review the repair manual, after which they can order original Apple parts and repair tools from the Apple Self-Service Online Store. After repairs are completed, customers who choose to return the replacement parts to Apple for recycling can also enjoy discounts on future Apple products.
Do users buy?
“Constantly improving the quality of service is something all modern companies must do, and Apple is no exception.” Ma Jihua, a Chinese communications expert, said that with the increase in Apple’s cell phone ownership, the use cycle is lengthening and the demand for user maintenance is increasing, and self-service maintenance can help solve the problem. At present, Apple’s cell phone shipments are limited by capacity, allowing users to help themselves to solve some minor problems, reduce maintenance costs, but also help to retain users.
In response, iFixit, a well-known website that has been calling for the right to repair, sees this as a victory for consumers and says, “We’re glad to see Apple acknowledging what has always been clear, that everyone has enough skills to repair an iPhone.”
In fact since 2016, business organizations represented by iFixit and the U.S. Public Interest Research Alliance have been calling for the Fair Repair Act to come to fruition. But these tech companies have been trying to block users from gaining the ability to independently repair their own devices, using methods that include, but are not limited to, limiting access to original parts, repair manuals and diagnostic tools, announcing private tamper denial policies, lobbying against laws that give consumers the right to repair, and using integrated non-removable rather than modular designs in the manufacturing of their devices.
From a strict ban on the flow of parts to third-party repairers, to the introduction of an independent repairer plan for third-party repairers, to the fact that individual users now have the opportunity to repair their own devices, Apple’s previously held policies have also undergone a dramatic shift in recent years. In response, Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit, believes this is a result of the increasing pressure Apple is facing from the legislature and said, “They face an imminent threat.”
Spawning a new industry?
Many users who have used Apple products should know that repairs in the official Apple channels generally cost thousands, and official parts are also much more expensive than parts from third-party repair channels, so many users will not repair their Apple phones in the Apple aftermarket, even though they choose to buy them.
One Chinese consumer said that Apple’s products are affordable to buy and unaffordable to repair. She previously spent nearly 10,000 yuan to buy a MacBook, but the use of just over a year on the problem of a flickering screen, the official repair needs 3,000 yuan, but because it was then in the warranty period will get a free replacement, and after another year, her computer again malfunctioned, this time the motherboard problem, repair needs to replace the entire circuit board, the price is up to nearly 5,000 yuan, because after the warranty period, even if this is The computer’s own fault, still need to bear the cost of the consumer. If you do the math, if you don’t count the warranty factor, the two repair prices add up to enough for her to buy another Apple computer.
Apple’s restrictions on third-party repair channels are not just beginning. iFixit’s iPhone 12 teardown report released last year shows that users who want to replace the iPhone 12’s camera parts must be authorized by Apple’s official software. This also means that third-party repair platforms cannot repair the iPhone 12 without permission, and if consumers have problems with their iPhone 12, they must go to Apple Aftermarket for repairs.
However, in Ma Jihua’s opinion, in most cases, I’m afraid that the users who can self-repair are not ordinary users. Apple’s move may instead open up unofficial repair channels, and may even give rise to an industry.
If it is just ordinary consumers, as Mr. Wang worried above, who will pay the bill if it’s broken by the hands of the users? “This reflects the need to regulate many details of the independent maintenance plan still needs to be regulated, how to solve the problems that may arise in various aspects of the repair. For phones that have been in use for a long time, it would be simpler and more practical to change the screen, memory, battery, etc.” Ma Jihua said.
As a consumer, the concern may not only be the level of their own repair, but also the price of parts. After all, in Apple’s industry, expensive not only products, a polishing cloth are sold for 145 yuan, a leather keychain price tag of 279 yuan, a silicone protective cover price tag of 399 yuan, a woven strap to 779 yuan, these accessories are not too high-tech content, some or consumables. Source