Apple gives third-party repair shops greater access to authorized parts

Apple has been a bit mixed with regard to iPhones and independent repair shops. Earlier this month, we discovered that third-party repair issues on the iPhone XR, the iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max had been committed due to a particular chip on the battery. And repairers like iFixit have repeatedly referred to Cupertino's design decisions as "hostile to the user". But Thursday, Apple announced a new independent repair program for iPhones not covered by the warranty.

"To better meet the needs of our customers, we are helping independent vendors in the United States to more easily leverage the same resources as our network of Apple Authorized Service Providers," said Jeff Williams, Director of Operations. in a press release. "When a repair is needed, the customer must have confidence that the repair is done properly.We believe that the safest and most reliable repair is one that is performed by a qualified technician and that uses parts of the equipment." 39 originally correctly designed and rigorously tested. "

Independent repair shops may ask Apple to join the program for free, although there are certain requirements, such as Apple certifications required for technicians. (Apple says the certification process is also free.) Once accepted into the program, repair shops will have access to Apple's original parts and tools, training, diagnostics, and other resources. In addition, these third-party repair shops will have access to these parts and resources at the same price as authorized Apple repair shops. Apple said that last year, the program had been successfully tested with 20 companies in North America, Asia and Europe.