Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) has announced that it will allow consumers to fix their own iPhones and other products using company provided parts and materials.
The new policy is a sharp reversal for Apple, which, until now, has prohibited anyone but company technicians from fiddling with its proprietary parts and software.
The company said it will now enable users of two of the newest iPhone models and eventually some Mac computers to get access to genuine Apple parts and tools for consumer repairs.
Apple is launching an online store for self-service repairs early next year that it says will have more than 200 individual parts and tools for making the most common repairs on the iPhone 12 or iPhone 13.
Apple said it will initially focus on do-it-yourself fixes to screens, batteries and displays, which Apple previously resisted and cited concerns about security and safety, such as faulty battery replacements that can damage a device.
Apple’s shift reflects a strengthening "right to repair"' movement embraced by U.S. President Joe Biden and affecting everything from smartphones to cars and tractors. The Federal Trade Commission, the Biden administration, and state legislatures have been eyeing regulatory changes that would make it easier for Americans to repair broken devices themselves.
Regulators have expressed concerns about restrictions that steer consumers into manufacturers' and sellers' repair networks, adding costs to consumers and shutting out independent repair shops from business opportunities.
Apple has long been a target for "right-to-repair" advocates because of its practice of locking down its software so that parts are encoded to a specific device. Attempted repairs, such as replacing a broken screen with one made by a third party, often leave iPhones unusable.
