Home Mac Repair!

[gunug]

I'm thinking Apple finally did something right!

"Here’s a pleasant — and frankly unexpected — update from Apple. The company just announced Self Service Repair, a new program designed to let users perform common repairs on devices at home. Through the program, users with damaged devices will be sent “Apple genuine” tools and components — same as the ones they use at the Genius Bar.

The company will also be offering up online repair manuals (text, not video), accessible through the new Apple Self Service Repair Online Store. The system is similar to the one the company rolled out for Independent Repair Providers (of which there are currently 2,800 in the U.S. plus 5,000 Apple Authorized Service Providers), beginning with the iPhone 12 and 13, focused on display, battery and camera fixes. A similar service for M1Macs will be launching “soon” after.

“Creating greater access to Apple genuine parts gives our customers even more choice if a repair is needed,” COO Jeff Williams said in a release tied to the announcement. “In the past three years, Apple has nearly doubled the number of service locations with access to Apple genuine parts, tools, and training, and now we’re providing an option for those who wish to complete their own repairs.”


https://techcrunch.com/2021/11/17/beginning-next-year-apple-will-mail-you-parts-and-tools-to-fix-your-iphone-and-mac-at-home/

I know the iPhone would be pretty difficult for a lot of people to repair.  Imac's I've done and had them work afterwards!

[Xairbusdriver]

It will be interesting to see how this develops. Just like the iDevices, the most difficult part of a Mac "repair" is getting the screen off/on. There is very little one can actually 'repair' on mobile devices unless you have a good microscope and a hot-air soldering setup not to mention testing/measuring equipment. Of course, swapping daughterboards that are simply plugged in is nice, assuming you can determine exactly which board is bad. I assume this means the iDevice will stop notifying the user that the replacement battery is not 'approved'?

I haven't been "in" an iMac for decades, but I imagine 98% of everything is soldered to the main board. That leaves fans/drives/speakers, for the most part, as user-replaceable.

The real proof for the "pudding" will be whether these parts will be available to actual third-party repair companies. The "Authorized" places are extremely limited as to what they can actually do. I suspect the real 'change-of-heart' is related to the "Right-to-Repair" legislation gaining more support.

[Xairbusdriver]

"Right-t0-Repair" is not limited to "smart" phones or even electronics. Farmers (especially the smaller ones) are also pushing for better access to parts and information. As one proponent asked, "If you can't fix it, do you really own it?"
Perhaps these links will help explain the wide spread effect of many manufacturers behavior:

• Public Interest Research Group-Wikipedia
• Are you a beer drinker?-USPRIG.org
• Farmers seeking 'right to repair' rules to fix their own tractors-CBC.CA
• Activity by State-Repair.org