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Before you consider Apple as your next device provider, remember that they right now are completely shutting down third party repairs of their devices. Also Ap

by akuji1993 8y ago

Before you consider Apple as your next device provider, remember that they right now are completely shutting down third party repairs of their devices. Also Apple's own "repair method" is to tell you that it's broken, without so much as opening the case and just replacing any component that seems to act up, costing you up to the device's original price in repair fees.

sbuk 8y ago
What's this got to do with privacy?
- akuji1993 8y ago
  If I want to purchase a device, I'm going to take more into consideration than just the privacy policy of the company.. One of the important factors is, what happens with my device, when it's broken?
  - sbuk 8y ago
    It is either fully repaired/remanufactured and resold/used in a swap out, stripped for parts for repair/remanufacturing or totally recycled by Apple. The "It's broke, here is a new one" IMHO is convenient for the consumer having their mobile device repaired. They're not having to wait around for hours/days while the repair is done. IME, Apple only really swap for total hardware failure or screen replacement on the X series iPhone.
    - akuji1993 8y ago
      If the "It's broke here is a new one" is accompanied by a bill for another $1500 I'm not so sure, I as a customer will be happy...
- huffmsa 8y ago
  Having to go to an Apple certified retailer prevents one from privately modifying or repairing ones device. Apple gets to know about every repair / modification done to your device.
  - sbuk 8y ago
    So long as there is no PII, what is the problem with that? If you mod something that's in warranty and you knowingly void it, that is your problem; same is true for every single manufacturer out there.
    - robocat 8y ago
      > If you mod something that's in warranty and you knowingly void it, that is your problem The ability to fix your own phone isn't just your problem. It is also a problem for the person who you sell your "fixed" phone to. It is a problem for the second hand phone market (edit: the market clearing price for lemons). Allowing parts interchange is a problem for theft (if expensive parts from parted out stolen iPhones can be used to fix other iPhones then stolen phones have high value.) Edit: that said, I do want to be able to fix my own phone. I just don't agree that I am the only person affected by that ability.
nneonneo 8y ago
Sure, but also keep in mind that Apple has literally no way of knowing what a third-party repair shop might do. Apple does not want to end up on the hook if a third party shop uses a fake exploding battery, the wrong adhesive (causing e.g. antenna issues, excess heat, or flaky phone), a fraudulent or fake part, etc. If that phone blows up/dies/erases everything afterwards, an irate customer or the media might well pin the blame on Apple. I don't blame them for not wanting random third parties doing repairs.
- akuji1993 8y ago
  I would be fine with Apple doing the repairs themselves. But the fact is, right now, they're not repairing anything. They're swapping out parts without search for cause and charge you a massive amount for the hardware they've swapped. If Apple started doing "Certified Repairs" and actually repair or fix the issue instead of swapping parts every time (there are a lot of problems that can be fixed by cleaning out gunk, swapping a wire etc.), I'd be completely okay with going to an Apple store (or certified partner) to do the repair.
  - nneonneo 8y ago
    The time cost for diagnosing the cause of an issue can be quite high, especially with these tightly integrated devices that have to be laboriously disassembled for repair and reassembled for test. That's a high cost of high-skilled human labor, when there's a much lower cost in just getting you a new part. It also means they don't need as many employees to execute repairs, nor do they need as much detailed training on repair procedures.
    - akuji1993 8y ago
      Apparently that's not the case, since a lot of skilled third party repair shops can charge you less by disassembling and fixing the issue instead of swapping out parts.
- HeadsUpHigh 8y ago
  I do. Or rather, I don't care if they want third parties doing repairs or not but it should be the user's choice. All this is cheap talk to increase their profits.

sbuk 8y ago

What's this got to do with privacy?

akuji1993 8y ago
If I want to purchase a device, I'm going to take more into consideration than just the privacy policy of the company.. One of the important factors is, what happens with my device, when it's broken?
- sbuk 8y ago
  It is either fully repaired/remanufactured and resold/used in a swap out, stripped for parts for repair/remanufacturing or totally recycled by Apple. The "It's broke, here is a new one" IMHO is convenient for the consumer having their mobile device repaired. They're not having to wait around for hours/days while the repair is done. IME, Apple only really swap for total hardware failure or screen replacement on the X series iPhone.
  - akuji1993 8y ago
    If the "It's broke here is a new one" is accompanied by a bill for another $1500 I'm not so sure, I as a customer will be happy...
huffmsa 8y ago
Having to go to an Apple certified retailer prevents one from privately modifying or repairing ones device. Apple gets to know about every repair / modification done to your device.
- sbuk 8y ago
  So long as there is no PII, what is the problem with that? If you mod something that's in warranty and you knowingly void it, that is your problem; same is true for every single manufacturer out there.
  - robocat 8y ago
    > If you mod something that's in warranty and you knowingly void it, that is your problem The ability to fix your own phone isn't just your problem. It is also a problem for the person who you sell your "fixed" phone to. It is a problem for the second hand phone market (edit: the market clearing price for lemons). Allowing parts interchange is a problem for theft (if expensive parts from parted out stolen iPhones can be used to fix other iPhones then stolen phones have high value.) Edit: that said, I do want to be able to fix my own phone. I just don't agree that I am the only person affected by that ability.

nneonneo 8y ago

Sure, but also keep in mind that Apple has literally no way of knowing what a third-party repair shop might do. Apple does not want to end up on the hook if a third party shop uses a fake exploding battery, the wrong adhesive (causing e.g. antenna issues, excess heat, or flaky phone), a fraudulent or fake part, etc. If that phone blows up/dies/erases everything afterwards, an irate customer or the media might well pin the blame on Apple. I don't blame them for not wanting random third parties doing repairs.

akuji1993 8y ago
I would be fine with Apple doing the repairs themselves. But the fact is, right now, they're not repairing anything. They're swapping out parts without search for cause and charge you a massive amount for the hardware they've swapped. If Apple started doing "Certified Repairs" and actually repair or fix the issue instead of swapping parts every time (there are a lot of problems that can be fixed by cleaning out gunk, swapping a wire etc.), I'd be completely okay with going to an Apple store (or certified partner) to do the repair.
- nneonneo 8y ago
  The time cost for diagnosing the cause of an issue can be quite high, especially with these tightly integrated devices that have to be laboriously disassembled for repair and reassembled for test. That's a high cost of high-skilled human labor, when there's a much lower cost in just getting you a new part. It also means they don't need as many employees to execute repairs, nor do they need as much detailed training on repair procedures.
  - akuji1993 8y ago
    Apparently that's not the case, since a lot of skilled third party repair shops can charge you less by disassembling and fixing the issue instead of swapping out parts.
HeadsUpHigh 8y ago
I do. Or rather, I don't care if they want third parties doing repairs or not but it should be the user's choice. All this is cheap talk to increase their profits.