Apple has activated the Self-Service Repair program: available for now only in the United States, it allows anyone who feels like it to proceed independently to repair the iPhone. The models included in the initiative are the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro, the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro and the third generation iPhone SE launched this year. On the occasion of the announcement of the initiative, in November 2020, the company had specified that the older iPhone models would not be included in the program, because they were too complex to repair compared to the newer models.
Tech Test
Apple Mac Studio and Studio Display: the preview test
by Bruno Ruffilli
To get the original spare parts you need to place an order on the SelfServiceRepair.com website, set up specifically for the initiative. From here you can choose the model to be repaired and then the type of repair you want to carry out. For now, you can only fix or replace the battery, bottom speaker, camera module, display, Taptic Engine or SIM tray. Replacement parts sell for the same price Apple offers to official repairers.
Ecology
An iPhone made with carbon-free aluminum, the green side of the new SE
by Antonio Dini
The repair must be carried out according to the official instructions, using where possible the right tools for each repair. For those who do not have the necessary tools available, Apple has provided a dedicated tool kit for each iPhone model: it can be rented for $ 49 a week and contains all the tools necessary for the operation, such as presses for removing the display, torque-limiting precision screwdrivers, or special cutters for removing stickers.
Safety
Stop the thieves: Apple will no longer repair iPhones marked as “lost” or stolen
by Simone Cosimi
For now, the ability to order replacement parts is limited to customers residing in the United States only. However, the repair manuals for the iPhone 12, 12 Pro, 13, 13 Pro and SE of the third generation can already be downloaded from all over the world. Just go to the dedicated page of the Apple site and select the PDF for the model we are interested in. If you do not find them, make sure you have not been redirected to the Italian page of the site: the manuals are only available on the English site for the USA. In this case, those wishing to try their hand at repairing by following the manual, here in Italy, can do so by obtaining tools and spare parts from third parties. But be careful: if the Self-Service repair carried out correctly with original parts does not invalidate the warranty, for now it is not the same for the self-service repair carried out outside the United States, even if using Apple manuals.
“The Self-Service Repair service is designed for people specialized in technical assistance who have the skills and experience required to repair electronic devices”, the Cupertino company explained to us on the occasion of the announcement of the Self-Service Repair Program . “For most customers, going to a professional service provider with certified service technicians who use genuine Apple parts is the safest and most reliable way to get a repair.”
The news
The era of smartphone repairability begins: after Apple, Google and Samsung will also sell spare parts
by Simone Cosimi
Apple has promised that in the course of 2022 the initiative will expand to include a greater number of spare parts, and then be extended to other products such as the Mac M1. There is no indication on the timing of the internationalization of the program, however, but it is reasonable to assume that the Self Service Repair Program will not remain limited to the United States as is the case for other Apple services. In the US, the program is a direct response to executive order 14036 of July 2021, in which President Biden mandated the FTC to create new regulations to facilitate repairs by independent technicians in the electronics sector.
In Europe, too, the direction is already marked: the first regulation on the Right to Repair entered into force on 1 March 2021 and requires companies to make products repairable for at least 10 years from the date of marketing. To date, the legislation does not yet cover laptops and smartphones but only household appliances such as refrigerators and televisions, but it is clear that Brussels intends to push the regulations more and more in this direction. It is no coincidence that Google and Samsung have also sensed the global trend and have adapted, following in the footsteps of Apple. This summer, the Korean company will activate a repair program in collaboration with iFixit that will involve flagship smartphones starting with the Galaxy S20. Google’s initiative should instead start within the year and will allow to repair all the company’s smartphones starting from the Pixel 2 up to the current Pixel 6 and 6 Pro.