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I suggest some people group together to simultaneously order the repairkit / battery replacement to figure out how many of these self repair sets exist. I would

I suggest some people group together to simultaneously order the repairkit / battery replacement to figure out how many of these self repair sets exist. I would not be suprised if it was only 10 to 20ish. On another note, legislation with the intent to advance the right to repair needs to be carfully worded like when the devil grants you a wish: You want your phone battery to be user replacable? Yes, wish granted. Oh and also not accessable without a 1200$ deposit and authorization. Enjoy your hell.

Kaibeezy 4y ago
This tragi-comedy comes from the same circle of hell as the long failure of the Public Service (student) Loan Forgiveness program. Exposure of its failures led, finally, to some relief. Michael Lewis podcast transcript - https://podscribe.app/feeds/https-feedsmegaphonefm-against-the-rules/episodes/85e9fb54-4f1a-11e9-b762-ab1aef38147d https://podscribe.app/feeds/https-feedsmegaphonefm-against-t... NPR article - https://www.npr.org/2021/10/01/1041872045/education-dept-plans-to-overhaul-the-troubled-public-service-loan-forgiveness-pr https://www.npr.org/2021/10/01/1041872045/education-dept-pla...
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
quitit 4y ago
I think there would be more controversy if Apple skimped here and only provided an iFixIt style repair kit instead of the legitimate tools that the authorised repairers use. I guess there will always be people to argue both sides of this point. However it seems clear that the shipping would mean Apple is losing money on the transaction.
- ad404b8a372f2b9 4y ago
  Not all issues have to be "both-sides"-ed. You really think it'd be more controversial if Apple were to ship a standard, iFixIt style replacement toolset like everybody else does rather than two suitcase-sized boxes weighing a combined 80 pounds with a 1200$ deposit and further require a call to their support line to validate the parts in order to change a battery?
  - ghaff 4y ago
    While this is arguably extreme, I do think you'd find people complaining if they broke their screen with the standard iFixit suction cup and other tools when trying to replace a battery. (Which I managed to do on an old iPhone I didn't much care about.) iFixit does a nice job but a lot of electronics repairs without training and the right equipment are not something just anyone can easily do.
    - wrycoder 4y ago
      What I want is for Apple to allow iFixit to buy OEM batteries, and the battery should come with access to the validation service. That way, Apple has no liability for the actual repair. But, as others suggest, I think there is actually a dark pattern at work here.
      - ghaff 4y ago
        There's nothing particularly special about OEM batteries. I don't generally buy them when I need replacements.
        wrycoder 4y ago
        I’ve replaced several iPhone batteries. Even when purchased from iFixit, they don’t last nearly as long as OEM. About half as long, I’d estimate.
      - quitit 4y ago
        It’s confirmed as the the same toolkit used by Apple and 3rd party authorised repair. The controversy exists because people want it to - iFixIt exists and offers a different approach. Sounds dumb to me that Apple should offer something different from their official procedures to please those that are in over their head.
  - quitit 4y ago
    Yes I absolutely believe that - and I believe you’d be the exact person to pipe up about it. The problem with your type is the word “Apple”. From there it’s double standards all the way.
- jeroenhd 4y ago
  Controversy was unavoidable when they shipped devices that can't be repaired without these giant kits. This is probably the lesser controversy, though. Reserving the full price of the equipment on the credit card places these repair out of the hands of the people that need affordable repairs the most. I'm also honestly sure that Apple can design better tooling for consumer repair than this, they've solved more difficult problems.
  - Aeolun 4y ago
    If the repair cost in-store is the same as the cost of a shipped replacement battery then there was no point to this entire thing in the first place.
    - Tarragon 4y ago
      But it's not. The article did a crap job of explaining this. You buy the battery for the same $69 that an in store replacement costs. You then get a $24 credit when you return the old battery. Apple covers this shipping cost too.
      - Aeolun 4y ago
        It wasn’t a crappy explanation, it’s just that the refund is pointless if you have to pay $49 to rent their tools.
        Tarragon 4y ago
        You don't have to rent the tools from Apple. There are plenty of other options. I have the iFixit battery kit from a previous replacement and through work have access to a bench full of tools of this kind of stuff. People that don't have that can buy the iFixit tools individually. They sell a battery with a minimal set of tools (a $5 adder) but there's doesn't seem to be an option to buy that same minimal set without the battery so you'd need to get a more general purpose set for $25 or $70. Maybe a friend has the tools. Maybe there's a local Makerspace or library that has an appropriate set of tools.

Kaibeezy 4y ago

This tragi-comedy comes from the same circle of hell as the long failure of the Public Service (student) Loan Forgiveness program. Exposure of its failures led, finally, to some relief. Michael Lewis podcast transcript - https://podscribe.app/feeds/https-feedsmegaphonefm-against-the-rules/episodes/85e9fb54-4f1a-11e9-b762-ab1aef38147d https://podscribe.app/feeds/https-feedsmegaphonefm-against-t... NPR article - https://www.npr.org/2021/10/01/1041872045/education-dept-plans-to-overhaul-the-troubled-public-service-loan-forgiveness-pr https://www.npr.org/2021/10/01/1041872045/education-dept-pla...

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

quitit 4y ago

I think there would be more controversy if Apple skimped here and only provided an iFixIt style repair kit instead of the legitimate tools that the authorised repairers use. I guess there will always be people to argue both sides of this point. However it seems clear that the shipping would mean Apple is losing money on the transaction.

ad404b8a372f2b9 4y ago
Not all issues have to be "both-sides"-ed. You really think it'd be more controversial if Apple were to ship a standard, iFixIt style replacement toolset like everybody else does rather than two suitcase-sized boxes weighing a combined 80 pounds with a 1200$ deposit and further require a call to their support line to validate the parts in order to change a battery?
- ghaff 4y ago
  While this is arguably extreme, I do think you'd find people complaining if they broke their screen with the standard iFixit suction cup and other tools when trying to replace a battery. (Which I managed to do on an old iPhone I didn't much care about.) iFixit does a nice job but a lot of electronics repairs without training and the right equipment are not something just anyone can easily do.
  - wrycoder 4y ago
    What I want is for Apple to allow iFixit to buy OEM batteries, and the battery should come with access to the validation service. That way, Apple has no liability for the actual repair. But, as others suggest, I think there is actually a dark pattern at work here.
    - ghaff 4y ago
      There's nothing particularly special about OEM batteries. I don't generally buy them when I need replacements.
      - wrycoder 4y ago
        I’ve replaced several iPhone batteries. Even when purchased from iFixit, they don’t last nearly as long as OEM. About half as long, I’d estimate.
    - quitit 4y ago
      It’s confirmed as the the same toolkit used by Apple and 3rd party authorised repair. The controversy exists because people want it to - iFixIt exists and offers a different approach. Sounds dumb to me that Apple should offer something different from their official procedures to please those that are in over their head.
- quitit 4y ago
  Yes I absolutely believe that - and I believe you’d be the exact person to pipe up about it. The problem with your type is the word “Apple”. From there it’s double standards all the way.
jeroenhd 4y ago
Controversy was unavoidable when they shipped devices that can't be repaired without these giant kits. This is probably the lesser controversy, though. Reserving the full price of the equipment on the credit card places these repair out of the hands of the people that need affordable repairs the most. I'm also honestly sure that Apple can design better tooling for consumer repair than this, they've solved more difficult problems.
- Aeolun 4y ago
  If the repair cost in-store is the same as the cost of a shipped replacement battery then there was no point to this entire thing in the first place.
  - Tarragon 4y ago
    But it's not. The article did a crap job of explaining this. You buy the battery for the same $69 that an in store replacement costs. You then get a $24 credit when you return the old battery. Apple covers this shipping cost too.
    - Aeolun 4y ago
      It wasn’t a crappy explanation, it’s just that the refund is pointless if you have to pay $49 to rent their tools.
      - Tarragon 4y ago
        You don't have to rent the tools from Apple. There are plenty of other options. I have the iFixit battery kit from a previous replacement and through work have access to a bench full of tools of this kind of stuff. People that don't have that can buy the iFixit tools individually. They sell a battery with a minimal set of tools (a $5 adder) but there's doesn't seem to be an option to buy that same minimal set without the battery so you'd need to get a more general purpose set for $25 or $70. Maybe a friend has the tools. Maybe there's a local Makerspace or library that has an appropriate set of tools.