Apple Expanding Independent Repair Provider Program Worldwide

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced that it is expanding its Independent Repair Provider Program to more than 200 countries, which is nearly every country where Apple products are sold.

First introduced in 2019, the Independent Repair Provider Program is designed to provide repair shops with access to genuine parts, tools, repair manuals, and diagnostics for performing out-of-warranty repairs for Apple devices.

Repair providers of all sizes, including those who are not Authorized Apple Service Providers, are able to obtain genuine Apple parts and repair manuals to offer "safe and reliable repairs" for Apple products. Apple provides independent repair shops with the same free training and tools provided to AASPs and Apple retail locations.

According to Apple, there are more than 1,500 Independent Repair Provider locations across the United States, Canada, and Europe. There is no cost to join the program, but repair providers must have an Apple-certified technician to perform the repairs. Apple says that the certification process is "simple" and free of charge, and when an employee has become a certified technician, qualifying repair providers are able to purchase genuine Apple parts and tools at the same price as AASPs.

Starting later this week, repair providers in Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, and Vietnam can learn more and apply to become Independent Repair Providers.

Later this year, the program will launch in a range of additional countries, with a full list available in Apple's announcement.

Article Link: Apple Expanding Independent Repair Provider Program Worldwide

 

[ghanwani]

That's my iPhone SE1 in rose gold!

 

[Kilamanjaro101]

That was fast, I got the notification just minutes ago.

 

[AZMecha]

I'm still on the fence as, well I don't have any Apple devices outside of warranty I stay updated... However, when my local BestBuy re-opened I did watch a repair on an iPhone screen the damn geek squad dropped it in front of his customer.

Hence Apple Store & Apple care +........

 

[JPack]

This is limited to out of warranty repairs. And repairs completed by IRPs will not have Apple’s 90 day repeat repair warranty coverage. This is great for people who want to pay $300 for a genuine display, but maybe not the expensive labor at an AASP. To be honest, I'm not sure how many customers are like that.

 

[now i see it]

"Apple says that the certification process is "simple" and free of charge"

So now any nobody with little to no experience or training can become a "certified Apple repair technician"

 

[reyesmac]

I hope they make all their products more repairable instead of doings something like gluing their MacBooks closed since they aren't too dissimilar from iPads anymore. It was lame when they did that to iMacs.

 

[Cycom]

"Apple says that the certification process is "simple" and free of charge"

So now any nobody with little to no experience or training can become a "certified Apple repair technician"

Speaking just of iPhones, they’re quite easy to repair.

 

[AxiomaticRubric]

"Apple says that the certification process is "simple" and free of charge"

So now any nobody with little to no experience or training can become a "certified Apple repair technician"

I thought they had to pass an exam to get certified? The fee might be waived but I don't think the test is going away.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

"Apple says that the certification process is "simple" and free of charge"

So now any nobody with little to no experience or training can become a "certified Apple repair technician"

The techs need to take and pass the same training that Apple-certified shops and Apple Store staff take. The certification process involves a test. If the test is passed there are no extra hoops to jump through in order to obtain the certification.

There is no prior experience required in any of these cases. Experience is gained hands-on, and inevitably results in a certain number of botched repairs that the shop or technician must make good on.

Employers hope to hire staffs that cost them a minimum in either wasted time or damaged products/parts, so they have an incentive to hire people with previous experience doing similar repairs. That's the way life works. Nobody is born with these skills. If there's a surplus of workers with a particular skill set then experienced workers can be hired on the cheap. If the skills are harder to acquire, then experienced workers have an improved bargaining position and employers have some incentive to hire the less-skilled and train them up.

All Apple is really saying here is, "There's all sorts of pressure on us to open the repair process to more participants. To shut down those efforts, we'll make it easier for more repair shops to do that." In the end, "Right to Repair" is only successful politically because small businesses have banded together to lobby for easier entry into Apple's repair business. The vast majority of smartphone owners will never want to do their own repairs, but they do want to find a shop in their hometown that is able to competently perform those repairs instead of driving long distances or mailing the phone off to a repair facility. If Apple gives those small repair shops what they want, then most of the political pressure that's been brought to bear on Apple will disappear. The "handymen" with the desire and competence to fix their own phones is far too small a group to mount any kind of political pressure.

As to warranty? That's basic common sense. A warranty is a company's promise to stand by its product - to correct "defects in workmanship and materials." How can Apple guarantee workmanship when it's in no position to supervise that workmanship? The difference between an independent shop that becomes Apple-certified and one that is not is the degree of control and supervision Apple can provide. "Hire a tech who has passed our test and we'll sell you parts" isn't enough supervision to justify Apple standing financially behind that repair.

 

[eyez73]

I'm would be interested in signing up for this. I run a small computer repair company in the UK as the sole trader. I work from home so I'm not sure if they would be happy with that!

 

[baryon]

While it seems like this is the right thing to do, I'm afraid they're just doing this to shut people up about "actively doing everything they possibly can to make their extremely expensive and irreparable devices even less repairable".

For example, do they still require you to have their certified, needlessly expensive iPhone opener machine? Do they still require you to replace half of the computer for a simple battery replacement? Because I highly doubt they're going to sell batteries separately. They're going to sell top cases with the battery glued in, and you bet they're going to charge for the top case even though you don't need it.

 

[maerz001]

Croatia not on the list of the 200 ? damn 3rd world country i live in

 

[madrigal77]

I'm would be interested in signing up for this. I run a small computer repair company in the UK as the sole trader. I work from home so I'm not sure if they would be happy with that!

Look at the fine print. They basically own your company if you do this.

 

[deevey]

"Apple says that the certification process is "simple" and free of charge"

So now any nobody with little to no experience or training can become a "certified Apple repair technician"

Considering that in the case of Apple devices a "repair" is really only a parts exchange ... it's not that hard.

 

[Wanted797]

Speaking just of iPhones, they’re quite easy to repair.

They are, until you hit the software locks.

 

[deevey]

While it seems like this is the right thing to do, I'm afraid they're just doing this to shut people up about "actively doing everything they possibly can to make their extremely expensive and irreparable devices even less repairable".

For example, do they still require you to have their certified, needlessly expensive iPhone opener machine? Do they still require you to replace half of the computer for a simple battery replacement? Because I highly doubt they're going to sell batteries separately. They're going to sell top cases with the battery glued in, and you bet they're going to charge for the top case even though you don't need it.

Most likely yes. And if you decide to try to do repairs with non-Apple parts or second hand non-Apple refurb parts you will get blacklisted as an authorized service center.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

I'm would be interested in signing up for this. I run a small computer repair company in the UK as the sole trader. I work from home so I'm not sure if they would be happy with that!

This is directly from the site:

Premises​

Eligible companies must maintain a commercial walk-in service location in an easily accessible location. A residential address is not acceptable as a service location

 

[Freeangel1]

NEXT MOVE: No more APPLE GENIUS SUPPORT.

when you think about it APPLE ARM Macs have lost custom configurations, can not be upgraded , are harder to repair.

So Why Keep GENIUS SUPPORT? Apple is probably going to save money by having 3rd party shops repair APPLE products and eliminate in store GENIUS support.

I'll bet any amount of money this is true

More reason for big corporations to stick with Windows PC's and Intel and AMD. SUPPORT.

 

[JosephAW]

Meanwhile back at Apple headquarters: Order 100 million gallons of glue.

 

[subjonas]

What is the difference with an Apple Authorized Service Provider then? Just the ability to do in warranty repairs?
And can independent repair shops charge any price they want or do they have to stick to Apple’s set prices for repairs? Is that also a difference with AASP who I believe have to stick to Apple’s prices?

 

[macsareveryinteresting]

That was fast, I got the notification just minutes ago.

I didn’t get anything.

 

[macsareveryinteresting]

Speaking just of iPhones, they’re quite easy to repair.

Yeah, it’s called you go to 9to5Mac and ask them to repair your iPhone.

 

[Cycom]

Yeah, it’s called you go to 9to5Mac and ask them to repair your iPhone.

I’ve honestly never visited that site. They provide this service?

 

[portland-dude]

NEXT MOVE: No more APPLE GENIUS SUPPORT.

when you think about it APPLE ARM Macs have lost custom configurations, can not be upgraded , are harder to repair.

So Why Keep GENIUS SUPPORT? Apple is probably going to save money by having 3rd party shops repair APPLE products and eliminate in store GENIUS support.

I'll bet any amount of money this is true

More reason for big corporations to stick with Windows PC's and Intel and AMD. SUPPORT.

They don't stick with AMD and Intel. They stick with OEM's like Dell and HP. They couldn't care less what CPU is in them.