Apple to Allow Independent Repair Shops to Service Out-of-Warranty iPhones With Genuine Parts

[kingfish78]

Well Houston is famous for no zoning, so how would that work?

Houston has zones... They just allow any type of activity in any type of zone. My assumption is that as long as commercial business occupancy is legally allowed to operate within the zone, then Apple is okay with it. The goal is to ensure that the repair shops are operating as legitimate commercial entities in an authorized commercial or limited commercial zoned establishment. They won't be signing up guys and ladies working out of their (or their mom's) basement.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

I thought it was April 1. Cool!

 

[Expos of 1969]

You’re wrong. Certification is free.

I not only read this article, but took the time to read others as well. Too bad you didn’t do the same.

“To qualify for the new program, businesses need to have an Apple-certified technician who can perform the repairs. The process for certification is simple and free of charge —but is not an immediate process, and requires passing an exam and completion to the course material to Apple's satisfaction.”

https://iphone.appleinsider.com/art...ts-and-tools-to-more-third-party-repair-shops

But there is a fee to take the exam. You are being taken in by the usual Apple double speak. You are not considered officially certified without passing the exam.

 

[jona2125]

You’re wrong. Certification is free.

I not only read this article, but took the time to read others as well. Too bad you didn’t do the same.

“To qualify for the new program, businesses need to have an Apple-certified technician who can perform the repairs. The process for certification is simple and free of charge —but is not an immediate process, and requires passing an exam and completion to the course material to Apple's satisfaction.”

https://iphone.appleinsider.com/art...ts-and-tools-to-more-third-party-repair-shops

Certification is free if you already have an Apple-certified tech, if not, then it's going to cost you to get that in order

 

[PickUrPoison]

Officially yes, but you can buy pallets of non-functioning Apple product either from China or even here in the US and bam you have yourself a boatload of usable components for repair. As I said, taking any component from an Apple device instantly makes it counterfeit in their eyes but that doesn't mean that's fact.

If items are incorrectly seized, you can respond to the seizure letter and make your case that the items are not counterfeit. Customs isn’t stupid, they can tell the difference between a pallet of used computers and dozens (or hundreds) of perfectly identical, obviously brand new batteries with the Apple logo plastered on them. Especially if they all have exactly the same serial number.

 

[realtuner]

Fixing devices isn't the only legitimate business model. There is a perfectly good business model of buying broken devices, disassembling them, and selling the functional parts. Maybe they don't want to get into the business of repairs. Maybe they don't want to find/pay for the skilled workers to diagnose and perform repairs. It is easier, and almost just as environmentally friendly, to just disassemble the product into its component parts, test each part, and sell the parts. Nothing strange about it.

Except most parts in Apple devices can't be reused as they'll likely be locked (the main logic board of an iPhone is a perfect example). That leaves you with very few parts that could actually be used.

 

[FamVR]

@Rossmann, Jessa Jones et all

Disclaimers

• Apple will not consider applications that do not meet the program requirements.
• Meeting program requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the program.
• Apple reserves the right to reject any application without comment.

 

[jona2125]

If items are incorrectly seized, you can respond to the seizure letter and make your case that the items are not counterfeit. Customs isn’t stupid, they can tell the difference between a pallet of used computers and dozens (or hundreds) of perfectly identical, obviously brand new batteries with the Apple logo plastered on them. Especially if they all have exactly the same serial number.

Actually no, the person in power would be Apple (copyright holder). If Apple says yes they are counterfeit, that's the end of it there is no further case. Apple always will say they are counterfeit unless like I said they came from their own sources. You can ship an iPhone from China to the US intentionally letting it get flagged by Customs and Apple will almost certainly absorb the device as counterfeit.

 

[PickUrPoison]

But there is a fee to take the exam. You are being taken in by the usual Apple double speak. You are not considered officially certified without passing the exam.

Source?

 

[oneMadRssn]

Except most parts in Apple devices can't be reused as they'll likely be locked (the main logic board of an iPhone is a perfect example). That leaves you with very few parts that could actually be used.

This is a fairly new development from Apple though, and iirc, the big shipment of batteries that were first started this sub-discussion were for the iPhone 6, which did not have batteries locked to the logic board.

I agree in general that Apple is making this sort of business more and more difficult.

That said, this program might actually help with this. Under this new program, third-party repair shoulds will have access to the same "Apple genuine parts, tools, training, repair manuals, and diagnostics as Apple Authorized Service Providers." Presumably, this means the third-party repair shops will be able to replace batteries, screens, touchid/faceid components, and whatever else is normally locked in the same way that Apple has been able to do.

 

[jona2125]

Source?

What I think he is referring to is getting your tech Apple certified, which is required. Many independent repair shops don't have anybody that has that. So to get into this new program you have to send them through exams which do cost money.

 

[PickUrPoison]

Actually no, the person in power would be Apple (copyright holder). If Apple says yes they are counterfeit, that's the end of it there is no further case. Apple always will say they are counterfeit unless like I said they came from their own sources. You can ship an iPhone from China to the US intentionally letting it get flagged by Customs and Apple will almost certainly absorb the device as counterfeit.

That hasn’t been my experience. And Apple doesn’t get involved unless customs contacts them. That would happen for cases they intend to prosecute.

 

[Glockworkorange]

Rossman, et al will still complain this doesn't go far enough.

 

[tcgjeukens]

Apple today announced it is launching a new Independent Repair Provider Program that will provide independent repair businesses with the same Apple genuine parts, tools, training, repair manuals, and diagnostics as Apple Authorized Service Providers, starting in the United States.

With an iFixit repairability score or 1-2 out of 10 this will hardly make a difference.
Now if Apple products were designed-for-service instead of designed-for-thinness, then apple would do two great things:

1. Give consumers choice
2. Be more environmentally sensitive

Way to go

 

[jona2125]

That hasn’t been my experience. And Apple doesn’t get involved unless customs contacts them. That would happen for cases they intend to prosecute.

It varies but we've had shipments flagged by Customs after Apple insistence when they started blanketing over all potential ingress sources. They were simply concerned there was a large influx of counterfeit product and asked for investigations.

 

[PickUrPoison]

What I think he is referring to is getting your tech Apple certified, which is required. Many independent repair shops don't have anybody that has that. So to get into this new program you have to send them through exams which do cost money.

According to the AppleInsider I referred to upthread: “The process for certification is simple and free of charge —but is not an immediate process, and requires passing an exam and completion to the course material to Apple's satisfaction.”

Maybe that’s not true but it’s the only information on the cost of certification for this new program that I’ve seen.

 

[Expos of 1969]

Source?

As you are too lazy to read what is related to the false points you make regularly, here is the info from Apple's site...

How do I pay for the exams?
When you register for the certification exams, you can pay with Visa, MasterCard, or American Express.

 

[bbednarz]

But there is a fee to take the exam. You are being taken in by the usual Apple double speak. You are not considered officially certified without passing the exam.

That's probably for the best though. I wouldn't want someone cracking open my iPhone without being certified... And to get certified in basically any field.... You need to take an exam and that exam usually costs money.

 

[guzhogi]

Source?

According to this, Apple tech certification exams are done through Pearson VUE. I've taken a few Apple server software certifications, and they've cost money.

 

[jona2125]

According to the AppleInsider I referred to upthread: “The process for certification is simple and free of charge —but is not an immediate process, and requires passing an exam and completion to the course material to Apple's satisfaction.”

Maybe that’s not true but it’s the only information on the cost of certification for this new program that I’ve seen.

I was referring to the following requirement just to apply to be in this program:

"Technician Certification
Service Providers are required to use Apple Certified Macintosh Technicians when conducting diagnostics, Covered Repairs, modifications, alterations and upgrades on Apple products. For every thirty Apple repairs conducted each week, a service provider should employ at least one Certified Technician.

Becoming certified to repair Apple Macintosh systems requires passing both a software exam and hardware exam at an Authorized Prometric Testing Center. Certifications are renewed on an annual basis via recertification examinations."

But overall, this program has already been cherry picked to really only accepting long-standing repair centers Apple is comfortable with bringing on-board. This isn't going to go beyond about 1,000-1,500 repair centers that get brought into this program.

 

[TheShadowKnows!]

My view:
The smell of [successful] litigation was on the air.

So, Apple resorted to allow OEM parts but as long a "certified Apple technician" is on staff, and Apple's approval.

[That certification may prove to be the equivalent of an infinite-loop. But the stink of litigation will not go away if this proves the case.]

 

[jonblatho]

So, you're fearmongering. Got it.

No, I’m applying past behavior to the future in a reasonable fashion instead of stringing together a bunch of if-thens that aren’t actually likely to occur. There’s a difference.

 

[TheShadowKnows!]

@Rossmann, Jessa Jones et all

Disclaimers

• Apple will not consider applications that do not meet the program requirements.
• Meeting program requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the program.
• Apple reserves the right to reject any application without comment.

Ahhh... The smell of litigation is pungent, and is not going away.

 

[PickUrPoison]

As you are too lazy to read what is related to the false points you make regularly, here is the info from Apple's site...

How do I pay for the exams?
When you register for the certification exams, you can pay with Visa, MasterCard, or American Express.

Personal insults aside, that article on Apple’s website was last updated April 2019, so it’s outdated with respect to the program announced today.

Maybe the article dated today that says:

“The process for certification is simple and free of charge —but is not an immediate process, and requires passing an exam and completion to the course material to Apple's satisfaction”

is actually accurate. What do you think?

 

[redheeler]

Rossman, et al will still complain this doesn't go far enough.

Because this new program really doesn't change much. Apple maintains the same amount of control over the supply of genuine parts as before.