Tag Archives: ifixit

Apple Announced Self Service Repair

Apple,

Apple announced that Self Service Repair is now available, providing repair manuals and genuine Apple parts and tools through the Apple Self Service Repair Store. Self Service Repair is available in the US and will expand to additional countries – beginning in Europe – later this year.

The new online store offers more than 200 individual parts and tools, enabling customers who are experienced with the complexities of repairing electronic devices to complete repairs on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineups and iPhone SE (3rd generation), such as the display, battery, and camera. Later this year the program will also include manuals, parts, and tools to perform repairs on Mac computers with Apple silicon.

iFixit reported that Apple is “finally rolling out self-service repair, the DIY repair parts they promised last November.”

This is a reasonable assertion, considering that Microsoft announced in December of 2012, that repair tools to iFixit independent repairers, Microsoft Authorized Service Providers, Microsoft Experience Centers, and Microsoft Commercial customers. Those groups can purchase Microsoft service tools for Surface directly from iFixit. Google announced in April that genuine Pixel spare parts would be available for purchase at iFixit for Pixel 2 through Pixel 6 Pro, as well as future Pixel models.

The iFixit article continues: Starting today, US fixers can buy iPhone 12, 13, and SE 3 parts and tools from Apple. Parts are available for the battery, bottom speaker, camera, display, SIM tray, and Taptic Engine. Over the next year, the program will extend to M1 MacBooks and from there to Europe, with other products on the horizon. It is unclear whether Apple will support older iPhone models like iFixit does.

“We are really happy to see Apple making repair manuals available for everyone for free online,” iFixit wrote. “Like, seriously happy. Like, we’ve-been-asking-for-this-for-twenty-years happy.”

In addition, iFixit pointed out that as of today, you can buy an official Apple iPhone 12 screen and install it yourself, on your own device, with no fuss. Previously, DIY repairs relied on keeping the Face ID speaker and sensor assembly intact, then very carefully moving it to your new screen, and finally ignoring some gentle warnings. If your assembly was damaged or defective, you were out of luck.

The right to repair is important. At first glance, Apple appears to be joining the other companies that have already allowed consumers to repair their phones and/or computers. According to iFixit, Apple’s program doesn’t do what Right to Repair legislation around the world aims to do. “Unfortunately, this program expands the freedom to repair with one hand, while locking the door with the other.”

Google and iFixit Launch a Pixel Parts Program

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Good news is coming for Pixel users! Google and iFixit are launching a genuine Pixel spare parts program later this year. This will allow Pixel users to fix their own phones, or to bring their Pixel to sites that partner with Google.

Google announced that starting later this year, genuine Pixel spare parts will be available for purchase at iFixit.com for Pixel 2 through Pixel 6 Pro, as well as future Pixel models. This will launch in the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, and EU countries where Pixel is available. The full range of spare parts for common Pixel phone repairs – things like batteries, replacement displays, cameras, and more – will be available either individually or in iFixit Fix Kits, which include tools like screwdriver bits and spudgers.

iFixit announced that they are working with Google to sell genuine parts for Pixel phones, starting later this year. iFixit will be continuing to write their step-by-step Google Pixel phone repair guides, which are comprehensive going all the way back to the original Pixel. Repair guides are lie for every Pixel through the Pixel 5, and they are writing guides for the 5a, 6, and 6 Pro right now.

iFixit points out that their parts selection will include everything you need for the most common Google Pixel repairs – batteries, displays, cameras and more. They will sell them both individually and as part of Fix Kits, which include all the tools you need to fix your Google Pixel, from screwdrivers to spudgers.

The full set of tools in iFixit’s Pixel repair kits include:

  • iOpener (iFixit’s opening tool designed to apply heat directly and evenly to case components joined with adhesive)
  • Replacement pre-cut adhesive
  • iFixit Opening Picks (Set of 6)
  • Spudger
  • iFixit Opening Tool
  • Suction Handle
  • Angled Tweezers
  • Precision Bit Driver with integrated SIM Eject Tool
  • 4mm Precision Bits appropriate for the specific phone

The upcoming launch of Google and iFixit’s ability to get genuine Pixel parts to those who want to fix their phones themselves, or those who want places like iFixit to do that for them, is a good idea. It follows a similar effort done by Microsoft and iFixit (in 2021) to allow independent repairers, Microsoft Authorized Service Providers, Microsoft Experience Centers, and Microsoft Commercial customers to purchase Microsoft service tools for Surface devices directly from iFixit.

Microsoft and iFixit to Bring Official Tools to Independent Repairers

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The Repair Association describes the Right to Repair this way: “It’s simple. You bought it, you should own it. Period. You should have the right to use it, modify it, and repair it, whenever, wherever, and however you want. It’s our mission to make sure you can. We fight for your right to fix.”

There is good news for people who want to fix their Microsoft products. Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit, wrote the following in a post: iFixit Pro independent repairers, Microsoft Authorized Service Providers, Microsoft Experience Centers, and Microsoft Commercial customers can now purchase Microsoft service tools for Surface devices directly from iFixit.com.

Kyle Wiens also wrote: This program is launching with three tools, as well as weights and accessories, all designed by Microsoft and manufactured by iFixit. These tools enable precision debonding and rebonding of adhesive for select Microsoft Surface models and will undergo the same rigorous quality testing and attention to detail that we give to all of our products.

The three tools are:

  • The Surface Display Bonding Frame
  • The Surface Battery Cover
  • The Surface Display Debonding Tool

Windows Central reported that these tools are not available direct to consumers. However, it does allow companies besides Microsoft to repair consumer and enterprise Surface devices.

In other words, you will still need to take your Surface devices to a store and have someone there repair it for you. This might be easier than trying to send the damaged device to Microsoft and waiting for it to returned to you good as new. My best guess is that having the damaged device repaired by someone at iFixit would be less expensive than buying a brand new Surface.

New MacBook Pro With Retina Display Unfixable?

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The brave souls at ifixit.org ripped apart the new MacBook Pro that Planet Earth has been raving about since Apple announced their newest laptop (with now-legendary retina display) and found something startling.

“This is, to date, the least repairable laptop we’ve taken apart,” the ifixit.org team announced in a June 13th blog post, just a few days after the official announcement at Apple’s annual developer’s conference.

The folks at ifixit.org (kind of like Will It Blend, without the blender….and with the ability to put things back together) pried apart the new MacBook Pro to find that it going to be really hard to fix, ,should anything go wrong. The full details of the teardown are here, but the basic theme of their findings is as follows:

  • special screws proprietary to Apple are impossible to remove without a special tool
  • key parts (RAM, Battery) are fixed into place with either no way to remove or upgrade, or fixed in such particularly perilous way (the battery is glued to the case, rather than screwed into)
  • display assembly is fused together with no opportunity to fetch something dropped in.

They gave it a 1/10 score in terms of repairability, stating “the new MacBook Pro is virtually non-upgradeable—making it the first MacBook Pro that will be unable to adapt to future advances in memory and storage technology.”

Photo Credit: Computer Repair from Big Stock Photo