In a significant reversal of their stance, Apple announced on Wednesday that customers will be able to repair their own iPhones. Consumers will be able to order the parts, tools and manuals necessary to fix their own devices starting early next year. The program will start with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 in the U.S., and will later expand to M1 Macs and other countries throughout the year. To access parts, users will first have to read Apple’s Repair Manual. Then they can place an order for the required tools through Apple’s Self Service Repair Online Store.
The timing here matters – per reporting in the Verge, Wednesday is a key deadline in a fight over a shareholder resolution environmental advocates filed with the company in September asking Apple to re-evaluate its stance on independent repair. As a result, that resolution is being withdrawn.
Why do we care?
27 states with right to repair bills being considered will do that to a company. This isn’t out of the goodness of their hearts, this is out of market necessity. Note that this isn’t “evil” either. Their goal is maximize profits, and repair is part of that. It’s market and societal pressures that matter here.
How did this all come about? Pushes from the market. That’s why we care – if ever you think that it doesn’t work, here’s evidence it does.