Apple begins selling iPhone self-service repair kits in the US

Camel DIY phone repair service launched in the United States today, providing parts for the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, and the third generation iPhone SE. When the company announced the “self-service reform” initiative last yearApple said it plans to sell more than 200 “individual parts and gadgets” to customers. It’s only available in the US for now, but Apple plans to expand the program to other countries as well as additional devices, such as Macs equipped with M1 chips, later this year.

Replacement parts are available from Apple’s Self Service Repair Shop. The company said in its press release that tool rental kits will also be available to rent for seven days at a cost of $49 for customers who do not wish to purchase tools outright.

The program represents an important transformation for Apple, which has had a history set limits On the availability of original spare parts. Although replacement aftermarket parts are sometimes available, Apple devices have sometimes shown themselves to be ominous warning Signs If it is repaired with non-original components. However, with the Self-Service Repair Initiative, anyone in the US is free to purchase a replacement part directly from Apple, knowing that it should work exactly as intended.

Apple has previously warned that its self-repair program is aimed at “individual technicians with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices” and that the “vast majority of customers” should go to a professional repair technician. But there’s nothing stopping self-confident customers from trying to fix themselves, and Apple shows it Repair Manuals Available for viewing before purchasing parts.

Apple says parts will be sold to customers at the same price as existing authorized repair providers, and in some cases, it will offer a credit if customers return a replaced part for recycling. for example, Take Crunch Notes That iPhone 12 or 13 battery costs $69 with a potential credit of $24.15 to return a replaced part. The screens for the same phones range in price from $225.96 to $309.96 with a potential credit of $33.60.

The launch of Apple’s self-service repair program comes amid a flurry of self-repair advertisements from other smartphone manufacturers. In recent months, both The Google And Samsung They announced partnerships with iFixit repair specialists to sell parts for their devices while, on the computer side, Valve is also working with the organization to facilitate DIY repairs for steam surface.

These initiatives come after years of pressure from reform activists and organizers For manufacturers to make it easier to fix their machines, which will hopefully prevent them prematurely from ending up in landfills. Apple specifically encountered more Pressure from active contributors To reassess its position on independent reforms last year.