Apple announces self-service repair for iPhone

CUPERTINO, Calif. — Technology giant Apple announced on its blog that it will be offering its customers the option to repair their own devices.

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Apple will launch an entirely new store, the Apple Self Service Repair Online Store, where people will be able to buy more than 200 individual parts and tools along with instructions, NBC News reported. Apple said the store would open early next year in the United States and expand to other countries throughout 2022.

To start, the repair kits will only be available for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13. Apple said they plan to follow those by Mac computers with M1 chips.

When the store first opens, fixes available will focus on display, battery and camera issues. The company said they plan to introduce other repairs later next year.

Apple’s move to allow users to repair their own phones comes as consumer advocacy groups push for laws protecting individuals’ right to repair, the Associated Press reported. Smartphones and other technology equipment are often only able to be serviced by a repair shop or the original company, which costs money and time.

Right to repair advocates have cheered the news from Apple, but warn there are still more changes to push for, NBC News reported.

While Apple is making it possible for users to repair their own devices, the company warns that “visiting a professional repair provider with certified technicians who use genuine Apple parts is the safest and most reliable way to get a repair.”

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