There is no denying to the fact that smart devices and laptops, and other technology products are costly to repair or service. And especially when it comes to Apple products and devices, the cost is too heavy on the pocket. The right-to-repair movement is gaining traction worldwide as it seeks to give consumers the ability to fix and repair their own devices. Currently, many manufacturers of gadgets restrict consumers to using only their own services for repairs. This right allows users to have access to a manufacturer’s hardware and software tools for repair, as well as the option to repair the device themselves or take it to the manufacturer’s service center or a third party.
Taking a step in this direction, Apple has launched self-service in Europe, giving customers in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the UK the option to purchase genuine Apple parts and tools in case they want to repair their devices themselves.
In these countries, Apple will provide repair manuals and genuine Apple parts and tools through the Apple Self-Service Repair Store. Customers who wish to complete their own repairs will be able to perform many of the most common repairs for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineups and Mac notebooks with Apple silicon.
Apple’s Self-Service Repair Store offers customers access to over 200 individual parts and tools, along with repair manuals. Apple also offers tool rental kits for $49 to customers who do not want to purchase tools for a single repair. Customers can also send replaced parts back to Apple for refurbishment and recycling to receive a credit for their purchase.
Over the past three years, Apple has nearly doubled the number of service locations with access to genuine Apple parts, tools, and training, including more than 4,000 Independent Repair Providers. A global network of more than 5,000 Apple Authorized Service Providers supports more than 100,000 active technicians. As a result, eight out of 10 Apple customers are located within 30 minutes of an authorized service provider across Europe.
It will be interesting to see if Apple extends the self-service program to other countries, especially India, where it can be helpful for third-party repairers and could also bring the cost of ownership down for Apple products.
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