The Apple Self Service Repair program first launched for iPhone in November of last year is tomorrow being extended to M1 MacBook models – both MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
The company says that the program will also be expanding into other countries, beginning in Europe, later this year …
Background
Apple has long come under fire for making it difficult for customers to repair their own devices, with independent repair shops also left out in the cold.
The approach dates right back to the launch of the original Macintosh, which used screws which required special tools – reportedly at the behest of Steve Jobs.
However, a growing Right to Repair movement has put increasing pressure on Apple and other large companies to make DIY repair easier. Apple originally lobbied against this, using safety as a justification, but the pressure continued to mount.
US states put forward right to repair legislation. The Federal Trade Commission specifically called out Apple on “anti-competitive repair restrictions.”Documents leaked by a ransom group gave repair shops an unofficial source of repair manuals. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak added his support for the right to repair. President Biden called on the FTC to go ahead with a proposed new policy, which it subsequently did. Finally, an Apple shareholder proposal called for the company to support a right to repair.
Apple Self Service Repair expands
Apple made the announcement today.
Self Service Repair will be available tomorrow for MacBook Air and MacBook Pro notebooks with the M1 family of chips, providing repair manuals and genuine Apple parts and tools through the Apple Self Service Repair Store. Self Service Repair for iPhone launched earlier this year and the program will expand to additional countries — beginning in Europe — as well as additional Mac models later this year.
Self Service Repair for MacBook Air and MacBook Pro offers more than a dozen different repair types for each model, including the display, top case with battery, and trackpad, with more to come. Customers who are experienced with the complexities of repairing electronic devices will be able to complete repairs on these Mac notebooks, with access to many of the same parts and tools available to Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Service Providers.
To start the Self Service Repair process, a customer will first review the repair manual for the product they want to repair by visiting support.apple.com/self-service-repair. Then, they can visit the Apple Self Service Repair Store and order the necessary parts and tools.
Every genuine Apple part is designed and engineered for each product, and goes through extensive testing to ensure the highest quality, safety, and reliability. Customers can send replaced parts back to Apple for refurbishment and recycling, and in many cases receive credit of their purchase by doing so.
The Apple tools are custom designed to help provide the best repairs for Apple products, and are engineered to withstand the rigors of high-volume, professional repair operations where safety and reliability are the utmost priority. Apple will offer rental kits for $49, so that customers who do not want to purchase tools for a single repair still have access to these professional repair tools. Customers will have access to the tool kit for one week and it will be shipped free of charge.
Would you repair your own MacBook, given access to Apple tools and manuals? Let us know in the comments.
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