Third-party Mac repair shops will have access to Apple tools and parts

Today, Apple announced that it will expand a program that allows third-party repair shops to access its own proprietary tools, diagnostics, and parts. Launched last year, the program initially provided only the resources needed to maintain iPhones. Now this will also apply to Macs. As with the iPhone program, stores can register for the program for free, and those who join the program will receive free training and access to parts.

Apple has tried to make its own services like AppleCare + and the Genius Bar in Apple stores a major selling point for potential Mac users who want good repair options without having to figure out which stores are reliable or carry them out. -even work. . While these services often receive high marks from Apple customers, there’s one major problem: the company’s own Apple Stores primarily serve large urban centers in relatively wealthy countries.

There are several gaps in this coverage, leaving iPhone or Mac owners who don’t live in these places with fewer options. This parts repair program can be a first step in alleviating some of this problem. This will allow certain third-party stores that serve areas that Apple Stores do not offer to provide a level of service for iPhones and Macs closer to what consumers would get in an Apple Store.

In addition, the expansion of this program is progressing as Apple comes under scrutiny from lawmakers and consumer organizations, as well as an antitrust investigation, related to the end product strategy. at the end of Apple.

Apple’s explicitly stated strategy is to control not only the hardware and software that makes up its products, but also associated services like the App Store or repair programs. The argument is that it creates better experiences for users who buy into it, but some watchdogs, lawmakers, regulators and commentators claim it is anti-competitive.

The growth of this program signals some sort of shift in Apple’s strategy – a sort of middle ground that could potentially undermine some of those criticisms, while still giving consumers in some markets more robust repair options. That said, the program remains small – it’s only a few hundred stores so far in the US, Canada, and Europe – and Apple still builds its products in such a way that access to own tools and company parts to be optimal for many repairs. .