Apple Inc. will start allowing customers to repair their own devices with genuine parts, the consumer-electronics giant said Wednesday.
The company will let consumes order “genuine parts and tools” so that they can complete their own repairs without visiting an Apple store or an authorized provider to get their devices fixed. Consumers will be able to order the parts online and receive a credit if they send back their old parts.
The self-service repair program “will focus on the most commonly serviced modules, such as the iPhone display, battery, and camera,” the company said in a release. Apple
AAPL,
plans to add other options “later next year.”
Apple’s stock rose 1.1% in morning trading, to put it on course for the highest close in two months. The stock has gained 15.0% year to date, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average
DJIA,
has advanced 17.6%.
Apple added that the self-service option is meant for “individual technicians with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices.” The company still suggests that “the vast majority of customers” would be better served by obtaining professional repairs.
The topic of device repairs has become more heated recently. A bill in the House of Representatives emphasizes a “requirement to make diagnostic, maintenance, and repair equipment available to independent repair providers” and device owners.
See more: ‘Right to repair’ law may run into the changing definition of ‘ownership’
A May report from the Federal Trade Commission concluded that while manufacturers say they are looking to protect their intellectual property and avoid contributing to consumer injuries that would arise from amateur repairs, “there is scant evidence to support manufacturers’ justifications for repair
restrictions.”
“While the car manufacturing industry has taken important steps to expand consumer choice, other industries that impose restrictions on repairs have not followed suit,” the report continued.
This post was originally published on Market Watch
