Apple has announced a new self-service repair program for the iPhone and Mac

Apple announced it will start letting people fix their products on Wednesday. The announcement represents a major change and breakthrough in Apple’s repair policies for the right-to-repair movement. At the same time, the new program shows how Apple still wants to make these self-service repairs on its own terms.

The new approach of the iPhone maker is pretty straightforward. Apple will soon make available repair manuals for some devices, and after reviewing them, customers will be able to request the tools and components they need to perform these repairs from a new section of Apple’s website. At the start of the program, Apple will sell more than 200 parts or tools to fix the iPhone 12 and 13 lines. Apple says it will eventually include the program in the Mac Computers with M1 chips.

Wednesday’s announcement is a big change for Apple. Historically, the company has typically only offered repair tools and spare parts to 5,000 Apple-authorized service providers and another 2,800 independent repair shops. Apple certified technicians. Apple has a long way to go They were criticized by advocates for the right to repair, as manufacturers want to give customers the ability to repair their devices because of this policy as well. the practice of designing hardware that cannot be easily upgraded or incorporating certain ingredients Only Apple has access.

Dozens of states they have proposed legislation on the right to resolve in recent years, Apple has struggled with bills. For example, company he successfully convinced California lawmakers In 2019, customers could light a fire if they accidentally damage lithium-ion batteries in iPhones while trying to fix them. Apple has also suggested that the security and privacy of its devices may be affected committed according to unauthorized repairs.

Despite Apple’s efforts, this right-to-repair movement has recently gained support in the White House. In July, President Joe Biden approved one executive order which, among other things, directs the Federal Trade Commission to create new regulations on the right of repair. That month, the agency also said it would increase enforcement. “illegal”Restrictions on repairs, then an investigation documented the different strategies used by technology makers to make products more difficult to fix. Apple’s decision was announced on the day on the same day as a key term Linked to a resolution of the right of redress filed by Apple activists shareholders return in September, The Verge first reported the connection.

Green Century — the sustainability-based mutuality that led that effort — has suspended its resolution, and that would be it. driven Apple has a strict repair policy to study the environmental impact.

“We thought it was a pretty big step forward,” Green Century shareholder advocate Annalisa Tarizzo told Recode. “We hope that the companies we invest in will continue to be involved, because we believe it is really important and because there are real risks for investors involved in this issue.”

The new Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidelines may affect Apple’s time, Tarizzo added. About two weeks ago, the agency repealed a Trump-era rule it is easier for companies to ignore the decisions of socially conscious shareholders. Also on Wednesday, Green Century asked the SEC to block its proposal from the SEC to block the agency.

So Apple’s concession to some of the demands of repair rights activists seems like an attempt to anticipate new regulations with its new repair program. But the company’s steps forward have some limitations. Not exactly all users are encouraged to start rooting on iPhones and MacBooks. In press release Announcing Self Service Repair, Apple says the program is designed for “individual technicians with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices” and that “most customers” should visit an authorized repair shop. Meanwhile, customers who decide to fix the devices themselves under the new program will have to buy the parts directly from Apple, and it also sets the price for those components.

“This is not an open source repair revolution that we have sought through the fight for the right to redress,” said Elizabeth Chamberlain, sustainability director at iFixit. a Wednesday blog. “Now there is a ‘official’ way to prevent the loss of warning messages and features. battery, camera, or display, Apple has less incentive to help those who use third-party parts, or even those taken from other iPhones. By controlling the parts market, Apple can also decide when devices become obsolete. ”

This isn’t the first time Apple has adapted its strategy to anticipate potential regulations or legal action. In an agreement with a lawsuit this summer that represents software developers, Apple said it would leave it to businesses tell iPhone and iPad users about ways to pay for purchases like subscriptions Outside the App Store ecosystem. In September, the company too has changed the rules for in-app purchases the company, meanwhile, was locked in a contentious lawsuit with Epic Games. None of these app-related updates changed Apple’s policy of charging large fees to third parties operating in the Apple ecosystem, and while Apple’s apps get free travel.

It seems that Apple is taking a similar approach with its new repair system. But while the company’s new program has plenty of notes, the move is still a big gain for customers who don’t want to send their devices to Apple or search for an authorized repair shop. Soon, they will be able to change the iPhone screen or battery in their homes.

Updated, November 17, 4:20 PM ET: This piece has been updated to inform Green Century Capital Management that it has canceled its shareholder proposal for the right to resolve after Apple’s announcement.