Yesterday Apple surprised us all with a program to fix our own iPhones. Of course, this is an indisputable triumph of the right to repair, because it achieves one of its goals with Apple which will lead to other manufacturers. While this is good news, we run the risk of thinking that any user will be able to fix a broken iPhone. Nothing is further from reality.
Small puzzles in the shape of a pocket computer
The reality is that disassembly and repair of an electronic product is complex. A lot. More when you consider the time that has elapsed since the original iPhone up to iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, authentic puzzles full of electronics to the brim.
In the past, I have swapped out the SSD of a 2011 MacBook Pro and a 2010 white MacBook. The two relatively simple operations, they only required a small screwdriver, a small spatula, a compatible SSD and a lot of patience. I even changed the battery twice, as well as the back cover, on a 2008 iPhone 3G.
With no technical training and no more than a video on YouTube, I was able to carry out these operations. I sweated to make sure I had no spare parts, organize the small screws and paying attention to where everyone was going. But that doesn’t make me a MacGyver or encourage me to want to fix an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13, which are the first models the program will cover.
The internal difference between an iPhone 3G and an iPhone 12 is huge. Components more stuck together, more screws, more likely to break the little ribbon which attaches the screen to the motherboard. A harder-than-necessary tug or screw in the wrong place can add hundreds of dollars to your repair bill.
Encourage the second-hand market
The cynic will think Apple exposed the self-healing program due to legislative pressure from the US and the EU. This apple wanted protect your repair revenue at all costs or force the user to buy new products. The reality is quite different, because overpriced repair or product replacement are risks that the user leaves the ecosystem and switches to Android. A lost customer.
If we look at the big picture, we will see that the addition of the home repair program It’s one more step on a path started years ago. Certainly, this will help to comply with the legislation that is being forged, but it cannot be denied that this is part of a plan:
Repairing devices gives them a second life, or even a third. A well-maintained iPhone it can have up to three users with a very long lifespan. Offering the ability to change batteries and screens, the two most wear-sensitive items, will further expand your presence in the used market.
Many unknowns remain unanswered. Spare parts prices, necessary tools, manuals and other details that we will know in the coming months. But the general idea is already there.
