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Iphone Portables (Apple) Apple Your Rights Online

Apple Expands Self Service Repair To iPhone and MacBook Users in Europe (techcrunch.com) 32

Posted by msmash from the moving-forward dept.
Apple has announced that its Self Service Repair store for iPhones and MacBooks is now open for business in Europe. From a report: First announced last November, the repair program essentially enables anyone to purchase genuine Apple components to repair their damaged devices, while the Cupertino company also provides online manuals to guide consumers through the self-service repair process. It's worth noting that while the program is open to anyone where the repair store is available, repairing Apple's hardware probably isn't for the average consumer, as just getting into the devices to begin the repairs is a complex process. But for any have-a-go hero out there willing to invest a bit of time and money learning, Apple is also selling the tools necessary to carry out fault-specific repairs, with an option to rent a repair kit for $49 if they only have a one-off repair they wish to carry out.
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Apple Expands Self Service Repair To iPhone and MacBook Users in Europe More

Apple Expands Self Service Repair To iPhone and MacBook Users in Europe

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  • "with an option to rent a repair kit for $49 if they only have a one-off repair they wish to carry out."

    Wow, they get you coming and going, huh?

    • I can just imagine someone taking a soldering iron to their smart phone.
      • No need... there are a dozen teeny, tiny, little plugs to deal with, on the end of fragile ribbon cables that are EXACTLY the length they need to be.

        • No need... there are a dozen teeny, tiny, little plugs to deal with, on the end of fragile ribbon cables that are EXACTLY the length they need to be.

          And each person on the assembly line probably assembled 50 iPhones an hour, each one with that same dozen of those same connectors and correctly-specified cables.

          So, your point being?

    • Re:rent a repair kit (Score:4, Interesting)

      by tlhIngan ( 30335 ) <slashdot&worf,net> on Tuesday December 06, 2022 @10:24AM (#63107528)

      "with an option to rent a repair kit for $49 if they only have a one-off repair they wish to carry out."

      Wow, they get you coming and going, huh?

      Well, you could buy the tools - Apple sells them individually if you want to keep them. All told, the tools in the rental cost around $1500 and come in two giant Pelican cases and include return shipping, so it's quite a steal for $50 as it covers shipping to and from your location.

      iFixit has commented that they are pretty nice well made quality tools too. The main complaint is well, they're expensive compared to the cheap tools third party repair shops use. Like I think the special heating device is around $200 plus a special holder for the phone model you're repairing, versus a generic heating pad for $30. There's a tool that helps assemble the case back together nicely versus just snapping it back by hand, etc.

      Then again, Apple technicians have commented they are the same tools they use to repair devices as well.

      • Over many years, I have used kits from iFixit to replace a SSD, a battery and speakers in three borked Macbooks for the family. It was not too difficult - provided that one has a big mug of coffee and a chocolate bar for sustenance. Fixing a phone though would require rather more patience and good eye sight for the itty bitty connectors.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by necro81 ( 917438 )

          It was not too difficult - provided that one has a big mug of coffee and a chocolate bar for sustenance.

          Particularly when repairing iPhones, I find that it's best done before having any coffee. As it is, I need to handle the teensy, tiny fasteners with tweezers - having the caffeine shakes doesn't help.

          It's particularly noticeable when I have to populate, repair, or rework a PCB with 0402 components. With a bench scope and Metcal iron, I can do some pretty delicate work, but it's difficult if I'm a f

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Kiliani ( 816330 )

        Apple is famous for expensive hardware :-) so no surprise here.

        I still use Mac laptops. They do the job, with the M1/M2 battery life is finally useful in. a. small. package. The running joke is that I've broken open each laptop I ever got, usually to increase RAM, update the drive(s), and to replace the battery. Sometimes more than once. Sometimes for more than that, too.

        I hate that I am now down to only being able to replace the battery (glued down ... sigh). But truth be told: they are now so good for the

      • Well, you could buy the tools - Apple sells them individually if you want to keep them. All told, the tools in the rental cost around $1500 and come in two giant Pelican cases and include return shipping, so it's quite a steal for $50 as it covers shipping to and from your location.

        Yeah I'll stick with the $15 kit on Amazon that gets the job done just as well.

        Make no mistake this is Apple gaslighting the repair industry. They intentionally send out tools more complex, larger, and with a repair manual more intimidating than literally any of the thousands of alternatives on the market solely to squash the calls from people who wish to repair their own devices.

        "Oh so you want to repair something? Well here's all the things we say you need! And it'll cost your $49 to rent. And you'll need

      • If I go to a local auto parts store, they will commonly loan me specialty tools for free. I pay a "deposit" and can can keep the tools or not. I just got a harmonic balancer puller this way, mine was just a whisker too small to fit my stupid mod V8. It was I think $30 with tax, came in a pretty nice hard case, had been used before but was in good condition... probably cost about $5 more out the door than the shittier set it replaced. I could have taken it back for a refund, but I liked it enough I'm keeping

        • If the phone needs a bunch of special tools to repair properly in the first place, it's a shitty design from the owner's standpoint. Same as a car.

          So, since your stupid mod V8 required a "special tool" to remove the Harmonic Balancer, then it is a shitty design, too?

          BTW, there are many repairs in a car built after 1960 that require "special tools".

          And just what constitutes a "special tool", anyway? Everything more advanced than a rock started as a "special tool".

          • So, since your stupid mod V8 required a "special tool" to remove the Harmonic Balancer, then it is a shitty design, too?

            Yes, it is a shitty design. If anyone tells you that the stupid mod V8 is not a shitty design, they are dumbfucks, especially the 3 valve piece of shit I've got.

            And just what constitutes a "special tool", anyway? Everything more advanced than a rock started as a "special tool".

            A tool that one does one thing, like hold a cam sprocket, or the crank. If you design the engine intelligently you can do this stuff with a bolt. I didn't even need a puller to take the harmonic balancer off the sprinter van, either, but again if they just provided a little front cover reinforcement in the right spot you could remove that with one b

      • Man, $1500 for a repair kit? The screen i bought from aliexpress came with a suction cup, plastic picks, everything I needed to replace phone and laptop screens. Wtf is in this package? Gold?
  • ...when iPhones get user replaceable batteries

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by EvilSS ( 557649 )
      Batteries are one of the parts you can buy through the repair program.
      • It means I can destroy my phone just recording the battery (not speaking about the time and work it takes...), right?
        • *rePLACING (not "recording")

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by EvilSS ( 557649 )
          That is why Apple will also rent you the tools (same ones they use in their stores and repair depos) and provides the repair manual on their website, so if you can do it without breaking your phone. Or you can have Apple do it for $20-30 over what they charge for the battery (or for free if it's covered on Apple Care+). Or take it to a 3rd party repair shop.

          If you are asking for swappable batteries, that ship sailed a long time ago with pretty much every major phone maker, not just Apple.

        • It means I can destroy my phone just recording the battery (not speaking about the time and work it takes...), right?

          I mean if you're that unqualified sure. But you may want to give it to a 13 year old who will not destroy the phone doing something as trivial as replacing a battery. Bonus points of the person is Chinese and can solve maths problems for you while replacing that battery.

    • iPhones have always had user replaceable batteries. What you're asking for is idiot replaceable batteries. That isn't the same thing.

  • "an option to rent a repair kit for $49 "

    Nice pricing.
    I can rent a forklift or a mini-excavator for that money.

  • Can you just buy and hold repair parts for devices or do you still need a specific device in hand before Apple will sell you repair parts for that device?

    • So I went to the source - the actual site where you buy your parts. https://selfservicerepair.com/... [selfservicerepair.com]

      I chose an iPhone 12 Pro at random, battery repair. Some parts you can order in quantities, such as the display adhesive and screw kits.

      However, the batteries themselves can only be ordered in singles, and require a serial number.

      So... no. You can't just stock all the parts for your shop. I'd imagine the more well-known fix-it shops have side deals to handle bulk orders, but that's just a guess. This program

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