Apple has finally changed its restricted repair policy and will make parts and repair manuals available to the general public for independent repair, making a U-turn on the ‘Right to Repair.’ Apple has been fighting and campaigning against the ‘Right to Repair,’ which has become a hot topic not just in Europe and America, but around the world.
The current practise of most manufacturers prevents people from repairing their own items. When items can’t be fixed, such limits raise expenses for consumers and result in unneeded electronic trash in landfills.
In July of this year, the US Federal Trade Commission overwhelmingly voted in favour of speeding up law enforcement against repair restrictions, addressing a major pain point where manufacturers’ practises make it excessively difficult and expensive for device owners to fix their equipment. On July 9, US Vice President Joe Biden signed an executive order directing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to develop guidelines allowing consumers to repair their electronic gadgets under their own terms.
While all big tech companies, including Microsoft, Google, and Apple, initially rejected the ‘Right to Repair,’ Microsoft became the first large company to cave in to the initiative in October. Apple has only caved in to rising criticism as the deadline approaches, when activists are expected to file a complaint with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Apple has said that it will make genuine parts and equipment available to customers who are comfortable performing their own repairs beginning early next year in the United States and expanding to more countries throughout 2022. In a statement, Apple’s chief operating officer, Jeff Williams, stated, “Creating broader access to Apple authentic components provides our customers even more choice if a repair is needed.” To begin, the application will be available for iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models, and will later be expanded to Mac Macs with M1 processors.
The program’s first phase will concentrate on the most frequently repaired components, such as the iPhone display, battery, and camera. Additional repair capabilities will be available later next year. According to Apple, it’s critical for customers to read the service manual first to ensure safe repairs. The customer can then use the Apple Self Service Repair Online Store to order Apple genuine parts and tools. Customers who return used parts for recycling will receive credit toward future purchases from Apple. More than 200 parts and equipment will be available in Apple’s Self-Service Repair Online Store.
Apple’s decision to abandon in favour of independent repairs is a significant victory for the ‘Right to Repair’ movement, but it’s only the beginning.
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