Apple has announced a significant shift in its iPhone repair policy, introducing the use of second-hand components to improve accessibility to safe and affordable repairs. The move represents a step forward for the company in the field of sustainability and user autonomy. Starting this year, Apple will make select used parts available for select iPhone models. These repairs can be carried out either by competent users or by independent third parties. Among the first components to be made available will be biometric sensors for Face ID and Touch ID, although Apple's policy of verifying the authenticity of parts and hardware history will remain in place.
Additionally, each device will keep a full record of repairs carried out, indicating whether new or second-hand parts have been used. In a further effort to streamline the repair process, Apple announced that those who repair devices will no longer have to provide serial numbers when ordering parts, unless they are replacing the motherboard. Apple's self-repair program was first launched in the United States in 2022, before expanding to various other countries around the world. With yesterday's update, April 11, the program now supports 40 Apple products in 33 countries and other territories.
The introduction of this policy comes at a time when authorities in several of Apple's major markets have expressed open criticism of device makers' policies regarding repairs, while simultaneously considering ways to address the problem of e-waste, which every year they accumulate in enormous quantities. In a trend that appears geared towards extending the useful life of devices, other manufacturers, including Samsung and Google, have also launched similar repair schemes, marking a shift in the industry towards more sustainable and consumer-focused practices.
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