In an official newsroom blog, Apple has announced relaxations in its repair policies. Thanks to that, customers and independent repair shops will be able to use genuine used Apple parts to repair iPhones. The change will apply to select iPhones and will come into effect in the fall of this year.
Apple recently expanded the Self Service Repair program for its MacBook Pro and iMac models powered by the M3, M3 Pro, or M3 Max chip. The Self Service Repair program, which was launched in 2022, initially covered iPhone 12, iPhone 13, and 3rd gen iPhone SE, and later expanded to include other MacBooks in the same year.
Now, the iPhone 15 lineup and newer models will be eligible to be repaired with used Apple parts. The policy applies to screens, batteries, and cameras. Moreover, it also allows for reusing biometric sensors for Face ID and Touch ID in future iPhone releases. After the repair policy comes into effect in the fall, "calibration for genuine Apple parts, new or used, will happen on the device after the part is installed."
Apple's SVP of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, stressed the positive environmental impact and how the new policy change will help extend the lifespan of parts.
He said, "For the last two years, teams across Apple have been innovating on product design and manufacturing to support repairs with used Apple parts that won't compromise users' safety, security, or privacy. With this latest expansion to our repair program, we're excited to be adding even more choice and convenience for our customers, while helping to extend the life of our products and their parts."
If an iPhone is repaired, then a new "Parts and Service History" history appears in the Settings app under General > About. This will show information on whether the part used during repair is a new genuine Apple part or used. Apple has also relaxed the requirement for a device serial number when ordering parts until it doesn't involve the replacement of the logic board.
Furthermore, Apple has extended its Activation Lock feature to iPhone components. This is to prevent the disassembly of stolen iPhones for parts. If a device under repair detects a part used from a stolen device with Activation Lock enabled, the calibration capabilities of that particular part will be restricted.
To read the complete policy announcement, you can head over to the Apple website here.
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