Apple gets criticized for actively trying users to stop getting their products repaired and for having absurd policies like disabling Face ID when the screen is repaired or replaced by someone other than Apple.
But now, in a step towards being more do-it-yourself repair friendly, Apple has launched a new Self Service Repair program that will enable users to repair some products themself using official Apple parts and tools.
This new repair option will be available to the users in the United States from early 2022 and is expected to be rolled in other regions later the same yet. Initially, the program will offer resources to fix iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 and soon after that, the company will add support for M1-powered Mac devices.
It has been revealed that in the first phase of the Self Service Repair program, Apple will be focusing on the core components likes the battery, camera, and display, while the other parts will be eligible later. So far, the company has not revealed how much the parts would cost but will be offering credit to customers who return used parts for recycling.
Apple adds that this program is for people with experience in repairing electronics and warns that the vast majority of people are better off getting service from professionals, whether at Apple stores or authorized providers.
The development comes at a time when the White House, the Federal Trade Commission, and multiple states in the United States have backed the right-to-repair measures that could force Apple and other companies to allow customer maintenance.
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