4 ms·

If it was, say $40 more or even $100 and was marketed as being repairable, I bet a lot of people would buy it. They would after all be actually likely to get th

If it was, say $40 more or even $100 and was marketed as being repairable, I bet a lot of people would buy it. They would after all be actually likely to get that money back over the lifetime of the phone, and it’s much more environmentally friendly. This isn’t a case of “market doesn’t want it”, this is a case of Apple don’t want to offer that choice because they make money off of the repairs.

ericpauley 4y ago
From the layperson’s perspective they already are repairable. Apple offers repair programs at a somewhat reasonable cost already. I doubt the average person will care if they themselves can repair it at home.
NovemberWhiskey 4y ago
>this is a case of Apple don’t want to offer that choice because they make money off of the repairs. Apple is on record saying they lose money on repair services. Or do you think they're just lying about that too?
- ChuckNorris89 4y ago
  Apple can say many things, that doesn't make them true. Of course they loose potential money on repairs if they can get customers to buy a new phone instead, that's how consumer electronics make Money.
sokoloff 4y ago
I can’t see how Apple can make a net profit on the repair itself at $69 for modern phones, so the profit motive/outcome must come from tilting people towards replacing a phone with a trade-in credit. There is a sliver of the market who would rather replace their own battery on a 30 month old phone. There is a gigantic wedge of the market who looks forward to their battery dying so they can get the swankiest new phone for just $39/month.
- Nextgrid 4y ago
  The repair is not $69. That one is purely for battery replacement in an otherwise-intact phone. Screen replacements are more expensive, but the worst is actually damage that's neither the screen nor the battery - for example just a scratch on the housing or a cracked back glass are actually the most expensive options (even though said housing on eBay is around 20 bucks). Similarly, water damage can usually be fixed by just cleaning the board and replacing a few mainboard components - that's something Apple will outright not do (good luck if you have valuable data on the device), and yet there's clearly a business there as both Louis Rossmann and Jessa Jones (from iPad Rehab) have been able to build profitable businesses on it.
- notriddle 4y ago
  > I can’t see how Apple can make a net profit on the repair itself at $69 for modern phones, so the profit motive/outcome must come from tilting people towards replacing a phone with a trade-in credit. Apple could probably sell the devices at a loss and still make money overall on App Store commissions.
mlyle 4y ago
> If it was, say $40 more or even $100 and was marketed as being repairable, I bet a lot of people would buy it. Not all the costs are denominated in dollars. You want a small phone with little wasted volume and waterproofness, you're using adhesive everywhere. There's not room for O-ring seals and flanges and fittings. My phone being small makes it more practical. My phone being waterproof makes it less likely to need repair.
- hermitdev 4y ago
  My old Samsung Galaxy S4 was water proof and had a removable battery. At least, it was waterproof enough to be able to answer a call in the shower, if need be. I never fully submerged the phone, but casual exposure to water was absolutely fine. Oh, and it had O-rings around the edge of the battery cover. It was a pretty great phone. Its downfall was being too thin. It didn't fit great in my pocket and it ended up getting bent when I sat down. Didn't break the phone, but was enough to leave aermanent bend in the phone about 3/4 of an inch from the top and a little bit of delamination in the one corner. Even with the bend, I kept the phone for quite a while before it finally met its demise falling out of a coat pocket onto asphalt exiting a car.
  - mlyle 4y ago
    Galaxy S4: 136.60 x 69.80 x 7.90mm -- 75.3 cm^3 -- 68 cm^2 screen, volume to screen area ratio 1.10 cm. IP67, 1m 30 minutes (AKA don't really immerse this-- even if you drop it in a puddle it may not be OK). iPhone 13 Mini: 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.65mm -- 64.6 cm^3 -- 72 cm^2 screen, volume to screen area ratio 0.9 cm. IP68, maximum depth 6m 30 minutes (AKA brief immersion in depths of less than a couple meters is OK). There's a reason why all these adhesives are used everywhere.
    - Dylan16807 4y ago
      There are bezels on the top and bottom because the S4 came out in 2013, not because of the waterproofing method. IP67 is enough for me, and I will happily trade .3mm of thickness for a removable battery. Not that we should assume that IP68 has to be sacrificed. There aren't a lot of comparison points on that specific attribute. A Galaxy Xcover Pro is bulky but that's because it's much more ruggedized in general.
newsclues 4y ago
A think a right to repair badge on products that promises schematics, parts, etc for a modest premium, would be a key selling feature for many important consumer purchases for a small but influential group of consumers. Cars, appliances, tech, it’s all the same and some people are happy with replacing everything every couple years on obsolescence schedules, but some people hate it and want good quality stuff that works and lasts for a fair price.

ericpauley 4y ago

From the layperson’s perspective they already are repairable. Apple offers repair programs at a somewhat reasonable cost already. I doubt the average person will care if they themselves can repair it at home.

NovemberWhiskey 4y ago

>this is a case of Apple don’t want to offer that choice because they make money off of the repairs. Apple is on record saying they lose money on repair services. Or do you think they're just lying about that too?

ChuckNorris89 4y ago
Apple can say many things, that doesn't make them true. Of course they loose potential money on repairs if they can get customers to buy a new phone instead, that's how consumer electronics make Money.

sokoloff 4y ago

I can’t see how Apple can make a net profit on the repair itself at $69 for modern phones, so the profit motive/outcome must come from tilting people towards replacing a phone with a trade-in credit. There is a sliver of the market who would rather replace their own battery on a 30 month old phone. There is a gigantic wedge of the market who looks forward to their battery dying so they can get the swankiest new phone for just $39/month.

Nextgrid 4y ago
The repair is not $69. That one is purely for battery replacement in an otherwise-intact phone. Screen replacements are more expensive, but the worst is actually damage that's neither the screen nor the battery - for example just a scratch on the housing or a cracked back glass are actually the most expensive options (even though said housing on eBay is around 20 bucks). Similarly, water damage can usually be fixed by just cleaning the board and replacing a few mainboard components - that's something Apple will outright not do (good luck if you have valuable data on the device), and yet there's clearly a business there as both Louis Rossmann and Jessa Jones (from iPad Rehab) have been able to build profitable businesses on it.
notriddle 4y ago
> I can’t see how Apple can make a net profit on the repair itself at $69 for modern phones, so the profit motive/outcome must come from tilting people towards replacing a phone with a trade-in credit. Apple could probably sell the devices at a loss and still make money overall on App Store commissions.

mlyle 4y ago

> If it was, say $40 more or even $100 and was marketed as being repairable, I bet a lot of people would buy it. Not all the costs are denominated in dollars. You want a small phone with little wasted volume and waterproofness, you're using adhesive everywhere. There's not room for O-ring seals and flanges and fittings. My phone being small makes it more practical. My phone being waterproof makes it less likely to need repair.

hermitdev 4y ago
My old Samsung Galaxy S4 was water proof and had a removable battery. At least, it was waterproof enough to be able to answer a call in the shower, if need be. I never fully submerged the phone, but casual exposure to water was absolutely fine. Oh, and it had O-rings around the edge of the battery cover. It was a pretty great phone. Its downfall was being too thin. It didn't fit great in my pocket and it ended up getting bent when I sat down. Didn't break the phone, but was enough to leave aermanent bend in the phone about 3/4 of an inch from the top and a little bit of delamination in the one corner. Even with the bend, I kept the phone for quite a while before it finally met its demise falling out of a coat pocket onto asphalt exiting a car.
- mlyle 4y ago
  Galaxy S4: 136.60 x 69.80 x 7.90mm -- 75.3 cm^3 -- 68 cm^2 screen, volume to screen area ratio 1.10 cm. IP67, 1m 30 minutes (AKA don't really immerse this-- even if you drop it in a puddle it may not be OK). iPhone 13 Mini: 131.5 x 64.2 x 7.65mm -- 64.6 cm^3 -- 72 cm^2 screen, volume to screen area ratio 0.9 cm. IP68, maximum depth 6m 30 minutes (AKA brief immersion in depths of less than a couple meters is OK). There's a reason why all these adhesives are used everywhere.
  - Dylan16807 4y ago
    There are bezels on the top and bottom because the S4 came out in 2013, not because of the waterproofing method. IP67 is enough for me, and I will happily trade .3mm of thickness for a removable battery. Not that we should assume that IP68 has to be sacrificed. There aren't a lot of comparison points on that specific attribute. A Galaxy Xcover Pro is bulky but that's because it's much more ruggedized in general.

newsclues 4y ago

A think a right to repair badge on products that promises schematics, parts, etc for a modest premium, would be a key selling feature for many important consumer purchases for a small but influential group of consumers. Cars, appliances, tech, it’s all the same and some people are happy with replacing everything every couple years on obsolescence schedules, but some people hate it and want good quality stuff that works and lasts for a fair price.