Apple has expanded its Self Service Repair scheme to include a slate of new devices, notably the iPhone 15 range and a number of modern Macs. It’s good news if you want to fix up your device using genuine parts and manuals straight from Apple – and it’s a win for the right-to-repair movement.
In a press release, Apple explained that its Self Service Repair program would now cover the entire iPhone 15 line-up, as well as a bunch of Macs powered by the M2 chip. That includes the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, the 15-inch MacBook Air, Mac mini, Mac Pro, and Mac Studio.
So, instead of needing to send one of those devices to a third-party repair shop or bring it into an Apple Store, you can instead order one of Apple’s repair kits and do the job yourself at home. Of course, not everyone will want to do that – the internals of Apple devices are notoriously difficult to navigate – so you can still take your device into a shop if you want to.
As well as the longer list of covered devices, Apple has expanded its program to more countries. Now, customers from Croatia, Denmark, Greece, Netherlands, Portugal, and Switzerland will be able to get official parts and manuals as part of the Self Service Repair scheme.
A changing stance
As well as giving users access to official parts for more products, Apple has also introduced Apple Diagnostics for Self Service Repair in the US. This is “intended for users with the knowledge and expertise to repair Apple devices” and “will give customers the same ability as Apple Authorized Service Providers and Independent Repair Providers to test devices for optimal part functionality and performance, as well as identify which parts may need repair.”
Apple has long resisted efforts to open up its devices and allow everyday users to fix them, instead insisting that people should go through an Apple Store or a third-party repair shop. That all changed in 2022, though, when Apple first launched the Self Service Repair program.
Since then, Apple has supported right to repair legislation in California, and this latest move suggests the company might be shifting its stance, albeit gradually. While we don’t expect Apple to fully embrace every right to repair demand any time soon, it’s notable how much the company’s attitude has changed in recent years.
Most people will likely stick to asking the professionals to fix their devices for them. But for anyone who enjoys getting their hands dirty, the expansion of the Self Service Repair scheme can only be good news.
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