widthWhat if the iPhone screen is broken or the battery is dead? In these cases, Apple has been notorious for being inconvenient for customers. Getting the device to work again is usually embarrassing or related to obstacles. Apple refuses to allow its customers to perform repairs on their own.
The company argues that it requires expertise that most customers lack, and improper repairs can damage the product. Therefore, buying new equipment is usually the easiest option. However, this is in stark contrast to Apple’s claim to be a trend leader in ecological standards.
In order to resolve this conflict of goals, the group initiated an extraordinary turn: Apple announced a proposal called “self-repair” and intends to sell spare parts and repair tools directly to customers in the future. It is planned to be launched in the United States in early 2022 and then in other countries later this year. Initially, it was said to include the iPhone 12 and 13 series, and then some Macintosh computers. In the beginning, the focus should be on components such as the screen, Battery And cameras that are particularly frequently repaired.
“Right to Repair”
So far, Apple and many other electronics manufacturers have been accused of not providing enough repair options, and recently there has been increasing pressure from politicians, consumers and environmental organizations to quickly repair it. The corresponding measures are usually summarized in the name of “right to repair”.America president Joe Biden This year, the FTC, a consumer protection agency, was ordered by a law to formulate rules to provide consumers with more maintenance options.
An Apple investor who specializes in sustainable investing recently filed a shareholder motion to change its maintenance policy. Anyone who previously wanted to repair an Apple device can go to one of more than 500 Apple Stores or one of the approximately 5,000 partner stores authorized by the company. Two years ago, Apple also launched a program to allow independent service providers to obtain original spare parts. Many critics believe that the previous choices are not enough.
The electronic repair platform iFixit welcomed Apple’s statement, calling it a “significant concession to our collective expertise.” It remains to be seen how many Apple device users will use the new offers. The group itself stated that the program is aimed at “technical personnel” with appropriate expertise, and for the “most” customers, it is still the best solution for seeking professional help. In doing so, he himself is also arousing doubts in the industry, that is, whether he can open up a new big business area for him. He has not disclosed the prices of spare parts and tools.
Competitor Samsung
Apple’s main competitors Samsung No spare parts have been provided, but a mobile phone is provided, and the car owner can replace the battery by himself. Otherwise, the group has done a good job in maintenance services. Customers can send their equipment or put it down at one of the so-called customer service plazas, and there is also a “quick repair bus” that costs 10 euros to order. However, according to Samsung, the mobile service is currently unavailable “due to technical failure.”
The global mobile phone market leader was recently praised by Stiftung Warentest for this. When comparing smartphone repair services in April 2020, testers said: “No one repairs Samsung phones cheaper than the manufacturer.” Samsung received an overall rating of “good” (2.4), and the other eight only received A “satisfying” evaluation. Customers can determine their own fees on the homepage. For the top model Galaxy S21, it costs 189 Euros to replace the entire display module, while Samsung needs 73 Euros to replace the battery.
——
– (–)
