Apple opened its Self Service Repair online store on Wednesday, as the “right to repair” movement puts pressure on US regulators to give consumers more control over their products.
The new store, announced in November, will offer more than 200 parts and tools which customers can use to repair the iPhone 12, iPhone 13 and third-generation iPhone SE.
Customers will be able to fix features such as the display, battery and camera with the new tools, Apple said.
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The parts cost the same as and are identical to those Apple’s authorised repair providers have access to.
The program will also include manuals, parts and tools to repair certain Mac computers later this year, Apple said.
The online store is run by a third-party which Apple has authorised to sell its parts and tools.
File Image: A worker repairs a smartphone. Credit: picture alliance/picture alliance via Getty ImageIt first launches in the US but will expand to other countries, beginning in Europe, later this year.
Customers can rent tools for one week at $49 with free shipping if they prefer not to buy them outright.
In some cases, customers can also get a credit for returning a replaced part for recycling.
Despite the launch, Apple said in its blog post that visiting a certified technician with genuine Apple parts is still the “safest and most reliable way to get a repair” for the “vast majority of customers who do not have experience repairing electronic devices”.
Advocates for the right to repair have argued that manufacturers such as Apple should provide wider access to repair parts and manuals so customers are not locked into a select set of authorised repair shops.
The online store, launched in the US on Wednesday, allows customers to order new phone parts to repair damage themselves. Credit: ReutersApple has previously warned of safety or performance issues that could arise from third-party parts or unauthorised repairs.
Now, federal regulators at the direction of the Biden administration are assessing the right to repair and whether there should be new rules to protect customers.
In an executive order, the president directed the Federal Trade Commission to consider rules to prevent “unfair anticompetitive restrictions on third-party repair or self-repair of items”.
In July, the agency unanimously voted to ramp up enforcement of repair restrictions.