Apple Launches Self Service Repair Program for iPhone

[spyguy10709]

This is no surprise. Lightning port replacement has never been offered as a repair by Apple. To do so requires accurate - and very small - soldering - a skill that Apple does not trust it's own technicians or AASPs with.

lightning ports on most devices (iPhones) are on a flex cable which attaches with a push-in "lego style" connector. Some iPads do have soldered ports, but the vast majority of broken charge ports are a modular part

 

[h4lp m3]

Look, it's a start. Now here's my take.

PRICE: First of all, it's not much cheaper than having it fixed at the Genius Bar. This program is NOT for people to save money, but for hobbyists and dudes who live in Montana (or North Korea) where there aren't Apple Stores. The savings for self-repairs using this program are minimal. It's about $30-$85 (depending on device) cheaper than having it done at the Genius Bar.

PROFIT: If I had to guess, Apple isn't losing a penny, and probably making even MORE profit offering self-service. Call it a hunch, but I'd wager that the amount of money customers save doing self-repairs is directly proportional to Apple's overhead labor and administrative costs if the Genius Bar performed the repair. PLUS, I'd estimate that 1/5 repairs fail, resulting in new device sales. Apple's not a stupid company, they know how to make money...

POTENTIAL LOSSES: However, when customers perform self-repairs, the company does miss out on an opportunity of engaging the customer with one of their highly effective Retail "specialists" to upsell them a bunch of Apple products/service. But then again... We're they really going to spend a bunch of money at the Apple Store? Maybe not...

• DIY repair guys are generally not big spenders anyway. This type of customer would have probably done their own repairs with generic parts or went to a 3rd party cell phone store, so they're not really missing out.
• How many users will break their device more by attempting self repairs? We'll have to wait and see, but in these cases, they pay Apple once when they buy the parts and again when they buy a new device.
• I think Apple has already thought of all this and they want to see how it works out. The $1,200 toolkit deposit is no mistake. It's meant to scare off the budget DIY'er, ensuring that those who do break their device worse probably have the cash to buy a new device.

WHO CARES?

1. Repair stores.
2. Dudes in Canadia or other bleep-hole countries.
3. Idiots.

In the end, this changes nothing, but it's a start. No one's going to use this service until prices are cut. The savings are marginal because of Apple's absorbent markup on parts. Is there anyone here who's in the Independent Repair Provider Program who can tell us just HOW MUCH of a price difference you get for parts?