iPhone 15 Pro Said to Be Easier to Repair Like iPhone 14 and 14 Plus

[MacRumors]

Following in the footsteps of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus, the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will have a redesigned chassis that makes the devices "easier to repair," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

This change could result in the iPhone 15 Pro models having removable back glass. With the chassis redesign, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus became the first iPhone models that can be opened from both the front and back sides of the device since the iPhone 4S in 2011. The internal redesign did not extend to the iPhone 14 Pro models, which can still only be opened from the display side, at least for authorized repairs.

Removable back glass would likely lead to significantly lower repair fees for iPhone 15 Pro models with cracked back glass for customers without AppleCare+ coverage. Apple's out-of-warranty fees for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus with back glass damage range from $169 to $199, compared to $499 to $549 for iPhone 14 Pro models.

iFixit's Kyle Wiens last year said the iPhone 14 represented "the most substantial iPhone redesign" since the iPhone X given the increased repairability. He added that the changes were "such a big deal that it should have been Apple's big announcement—the iPhone has been redesigned from the inside out to make it easier to repair."

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 15 lineup in September. Gurman reiterated that all of the devices will be equipped with a USB-C port and the Dynamic Island, while he expects the Pro models to feature a titanium frame, thinner bezels around the display, a faster chip manufactured with TSMC's 3nm process, a customizable Action button, and more. He believes price increases are possible in some countries, at least for the Pro models.

Article Link: iPhone 15 Pro Said to Be Easier to Repair Like iPhone 14 and 14 Plus

 

[abatabia]

This is amazing news.

 

[tripsync]

Yeah at the cost of being more expensive.

Congrats right to repair people, you just forced everyone to pay more for the iPhone just so that the few people like you and Louis Rossman can spend an hour swapping a battery to save a few bucks while everyone else continues using Apple service.

I knew this was going to happen.
🤦‍♂️

 

[phill85]

“Apple's out-of-warranty fees for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus with back glass damage range from $169 to $199, compared to $499 to $549 for iPhone 14 Pro models.”

🤯

 

[MayaUser]

so we will pay more, but we will keep it more
Win - Win

 

[tripsync]

so we will pay more, but we will keep it more
Win - Win

That's a lose to most customers.

 

[MayaUser]

That's a lose to most customers.

not really...most of them nowadays keep their phones for 3-4 years now...and some buy second hand..probably second hand will explode now knowing this. We will need some statistics 3 years from now
I always buy a new one after 2 years because the repairs after the warranty expires are too close to a new one

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Now that AppleCare+ can be renewed after the 2-year point, I plan to keep phones longer. My iPhone 12 Pro is already past the 2-year point, and even though I am getting a 15 Pro Max for the new camera - my wife will keep the 12 Pro.

"Easier repairs" is nice & all, but if you have AC+ it's really not a factor. Replacing the back glass on a 14 Pro with AC+ is $29, doesn't matter how hard Apple has to work at it. Same price as the 14.

 

[tripsync]

not really...most of them nowadays keep their phones for 3-4 years now...and some buy second hand..probably second hand will explode now knowing this. We will need some statistics 3 years from now
I always buy a new one after 2 years because the repairs after the warranty expires are too close to a new one

1. most dont want to repair themselves.
2. average is 3 years, but if the majority of the market buys second hand, Apple will charge more to make up for loss of revenue. Which is why they're increasing prices so Apple still wins and everyone else who is already upgrade anyways loses

 

[jz0309]

I suppose "easier to repair" is a good thing - for me, I choose AC+ for my iPhone & AW as stupid things happen, so it doesn't make a difference.
A for Gurmans "News", it's simply an evolutionary step in design, nothing else, just his usual click and bait ...

 

[winxmac]

They are going to bring back somewhat the repairability of iPhone 4/4s to the 15 Pro series it seems...

I wonder what happened to the previous article that commenting got disabled...

 

[Populus]

This are good news!

I wonder if the lenses will be safe in case of a drop, because one thing is to replace the back glass, and a different one is to replace the camera module…

I’m eager to see the new iPhone 15 Pro!!

 

[Jay Tee]

Yeah at the cost of being more expensive.

Congrats right to repair people, you just forced everyone to pay more for the iPhone just so that the few people like you and Louis Rossman can spend an hour swapping a battery to save a few bucks while everyone else continues using Apple service.

I knew this was going to happen.
🤦‍♂️

How bad is the competition when prices go up, yet RtR crowd still prefer Apple.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Give me user replaceable batteries or give me death

 

[thadoggfather]

Yeah at the cost of being more expensive.

Congrats right to repair people, you just forced everyone to pay more for the iPhone just so that the few people like you and Louis Rossman can spend an hour swapping a battery to save a few bucks while everyone else continues using Apple service.

I knew this was going to happen.
🤦‍♂️

Lashing out at Rossman for advocating for consumer rights is absurd as is blaming a potential price hike on a more repairable device

If apple raises the price it’s because they want to. Or are passing along the increase cost for parts. Not because you will be able to pop off the back of a phone with more ease

That’s really a stretch imo

 

[Mr. Dee]

People just need to keep their phones longer and stop falling for the fud that is ‘but better camera, better photos’. Seriously!

 

[anthogag]

Maybe a rugged iPhone Ultra will have titanium chassis and carbon fibre back plate.

 

[I7guy]

People just need to keep their phones longer and stop falling for the fud that is ‘but better camera, better photos’. Seriously!

Why? To me improvements in screen and camera are the biggest draws. I’m thinking others feel the same way.

If I want to upgrade I will, if not I won’t. There is mo set schedule though I like my max such that I’ve kept it. (Although I upgraded my spouse to the 14PM).

 

[anthogag]

Why? To me improvements in screen and camera are the biggest draws. I’m thinking others feel the same way.

I concur.

 

[eicca]

Yeah at the cost of being more expensive.

Congrats right to repair people, you just forced everyone to pay more for the iPhone just so that the few people like you and Louis Rossman can spend an hour swapping a battery to save a few bucks while everyone else continues using Apple service.

I knew this was going to happen.
🤦‍♂️

You clearly own nothing and are very happy about it.

 

[tripsync]

If apple raises the price it’s because they want to.

As opposed to all the times they didn't want to because Apple is a charity?

Talk about absurd.

 

[zorinlynx]

Yeah at the cost of being more expensive.

Congrats right to repair people, you just forced everyone to pay more for the iPhone just so that the few people like you and Louis Rossman can spend an hour swapping a battery to save a few bucks while everyone else continues using Apple service.

I knew this was going to happen.
🤦‍♂️

This has got to be the worst take I've ever read in my decades of using Macrumors.

Seriously, you're defending Apple making things harder to fix to save a buck? You do know that Apple charges what the market will bear, right? It doesn't matter how much money they save in manufacturing; the price will remain exactly the same because that's what we are willing to pay for it. No more, no less.

The worst thing we can have right now is more and more disposable, un-fixable tech that ends up in landfills because a company wanted to save a buck in manufacturing. At least Apple is making a tiny effort to make things better. Now if only they'd stop serializing components and requiring proprietary tools to pair the new parts together as has been seen recently. Maybe they'll back off on this which would be great for us all.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

People just need to keep their phones longer and stop falling for the fud that is ‘but better camera, better photos’. Seriously!

Obviously, this is all anecdotal, but I’ve pretty much noticed over the past six years or so that people in my life upgrade their phones when either the battery is totally shot, their old phone starts having connection issues or they change their carrier plan, and it comes with a new phone.
I don’t think the majority are updating for the cameras or screens anymore, but they still certainly appreciate the update when they get it.

 

[Craptastic]

To be fair, 14Pro models are way easier to repair than the regular ones.

Mid system repairs on the 14 require heating for both front and back glass, then removing the camera is a pain. Assemble etc.

Where as Pro models have a rear system repair, just open from the front, move the rear camera and display over and it’s done.

 

[MacFin]

The glass-back trend on smartphones is downright absurd! All it does is add extra weight and raise the likelihood of costly repairs for a mere aesthetic feature that doesn't enhance the phone's functionality. Who needs that delicate eye candy? Let's get real and stick to a robust aluminium or titanium back, saving us from unnecessary expenses and reducing environmental waste. Apple, it's high time to put practicality before vanity!