The battery replacement program proves Apples point that that kind of repair is too dangerous for non-experienced staff to be doing it in the first place. There’s a reason Apple will swap out your phone for a new one when doing a battery replacement, because they will send even slightly questionable phones off site to dedicated repair facilities because an expanded/expanding battery can be so dangerous.
The battery replacement program didn't prove that the task is dangerous in the minds of customers. I imagine most people trust the battery is safe because reports of battery mishaps in Apple phones are rare. If anything, the program proves that most people want someone to do the repair for them. They are are either lazy or afraid they will damage the phone in the process (The latter is more probable than a battery mishap).
The problem with Apple being the sole service and parts provider is that Apple can arbitrarily refuse repairs. It happened to me. I had replaced my battery prior to the battery replacement program. Phone performed like new. Then Apple added a Battery Health feature to iOS after they were caught throttling phones. The Battery Health feature caused my phone to not recognize the aftermarket battery. I was traveling when my phone bricked. I went to an Apple store for a new battery. They refused to touch the phone because it didn't have an OEM battery. I offered to remove the battery for them. Nope. Another policy requires them to collect a part when they replace one—and they must do the swap. I asked if I could buy an OEM battery and insert it myself. Nope. Policy forbids them from selling parts. Their suggestion? I could buy an external battery case from them for $90.
This is the backroom reality of your beloved brand.
I wrote Tim Cook about the incident. Didn't get a response like I have in the past. But recently, Apple changed their attitude and will replace non-OEM batteries. I suspect a lot of people have aftermarket batteries in their phones.
Now any one can buy repair kits and parts from Apple. And of course, someone, either through inexperience, stupidity, bad luck, or most likely a combination of the three, manages to seriously injure themselves doing a repair they shouldn’t have been doing in the first place.
That is what waivers are for.
You are misinterpreting the demands of Right to Repair. Advocates want more competition or choices when they need service. When Apple's repair solution is questionable or too expensive, they want the option of a second opinion. If Apple's products require OEM parts to operate, advocates want third parties to have access to those parts.
I miss the days when these forums were mostly people who actually LIKED Apple products and didn’t demand Apple do everything they way THEY wanted and throw in a unicorn while they were at it. The self-entitled expectations of so many users these days is nuts.
Or maybe your expectations and needs are simple.
I miss those days too. I didn't change. Apple's focus and priorities did—as well as its attitudes and integrity. And that occurred as Apple's core customer changed. I used to think it was us veterans who complained most in these forums. Sure, we bemoan Apple's dedication to the iMac form factor, and resent the attention that iOS's frivolities get. Yet, if you look closely, the noise is mostly around iOS products their ancillary services, and it's coming from their devotees.
