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Apple’s iPhone 14 Redesign for Repair

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Re: Apple’s iPhone 14 Redesign for Repair

#341

Post by hot_gril »

majani wrote: post #310
hot_gril wrote: post #167

> Forget satellite SOS and the larger camera, the headline is this: Apple has completely redesigned the internals of the iPhone 14 to make it easier to repair. This made me chuckle. I'm willing to bet that the overwhelming majority of users care far more about the camera than the repairability. The latter is hardly even something they consider. It will probably help them in unseen ways, like improving resale value.

It would matter if it was highlighted. People care about repairability of expensive items. Admittedly, it is a secondary concern, but I would say it is probably the top secondary concern

A secondary concern is resale value. Repairability isn't even that. To put it one way, even if you could repair an iPhone with legos, I think it'd sway few to zero buyers from an alternative.

Re: Apple’s iPhone 14 Redesign for Repair

#342

Post by hot_gril »

dkonofalski wrote: post #338
hot_gril wrote: post #266

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't buy that Apple repairs are a loss given that third-party repairs can still be profitable at lower prices, but even if they are, it doesn't mean AppleCare is a loss vs making users pay per repair.

Here you go: https://appleinsider.com/articles/19/11/20/apple-says-repair...

It's not clear there what counts towards the revenue and towards costs, since third-party repair shops are involved. I want to know if one user taking a phone to Apple for repair costs them more than the user pays, and they don't really say, nor is it a simple answer with all the fixed costs and shared resources involved (like, stores have footprints, and geniuses do other stuff too). Third-party repair shops are a much simpler situation since they only repair stuff, and at moderate scale. They're somehow profitable on their own, unless Apple is subsidizing them.

Also, the title is from Apple's PR in one of those congressional hearings where they're responding to (often over-simplified) complaints of anti-competitive behavior. It's going to be spun like none other. Apple also claims a way higher effective tax rate in Europe than what they're regularly accused of, and calculated some way they're probably technically correct.

Re: Apple’s iPhone 14 Redesign for Repair

#343

Post by varenc »

_V_ wrote: post #334
varenc wrote: post #317

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Making repairs much easier is still a huge win. We're also constantly moving the goalposts on Apple. The iPhone 11 had no public repair manuals and only special authorized repair centers could purchase genuine parts or perform the "System Configuration" pairing step. With the iPhone 12, 13, and SE we suddenly we got public repair manuals[0] and public access to genuine parts[1]. The "System Configuration" step still…

I'm not moving goalposts at all. All I'd want is a way to get most of the parts from OEM & be able to install them. At the very least I'd expect to be able to swap: 1) Battery (consumable) 2) Front (LCD) 3) Back (either just the glass or the whole frame) But we have to be honest with ourselves here: what good is it to have a repair manual when you cannot buy genuine parts? I mean yeah, this is a small-ish win, but it…

> what good is it to have a repair manual when you cannot buy genuine parts?

You can absolutely buy genuine parts for recent iPhones: https://selfservicerepair.com/order (that website looks random, but it's actually Apple's official self repair supplier)

Yes, the System Configuration step is still required to pair many of those parts. This has been discussed ad nauseum. Perspectives vary between it being a necessary security precaution and an entirely self-interested move by Apple to control their supply chain. I suspect the truth is somewhere in between.

I've never done the System Configuration step, but it requires chatting with a support agent and it sounds much easier than the repairs themselves. I absolutely agree things could still improve. But I also think we should recognize this new iPhone 14 re-design as a huge improvement that shows a promising trend.

Re: Apple’s iPhone 14 Redesign for Repair

#344

Post by hammock »

oneplane wrote: post #49

This has got to be one extremely expensive toolchain and supply chain redesign to do, but since they have done it a few times before (instead of incremental changes) I suppose the money department has worked out when it is feasible to do that kind of thing while keeping the people in charge happy. I'm curious to see if this is a 'test' to see if this doesn't have too many downsides, I imagine ingress area increasing…

Redesigning iPhone to be repairable means that Apple can have a higher tolerance for part failure. That in turn means that they can reduce quality controls and put cheaper parts into their phones. It probably pays for itself

Re: Apple’s iPhone 14 Redesign for Repair

#345

Post by aardvarkr »

sudosysgen wrote: post #319
wmeredith wrote: post #305

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also found the tone of that article annoying. The author is talking about repairing one of the–if not the– most advanced things ever mass-assembled. No shit, it's not easy.

It's not as hard as you think it is. Apple is indeed massively over complicating the process.

They gave him three machines to use for replacing his battery.

1. A machine to melt the glue holding the battery in place

2. A machine to apply even pressure to the new battery to ensure it’s properly adhered

3. A machine to apply heat and even pressure to the entire phone to properly give the phone with a watertight seal.

That seems like exactly what I’d expect has to happen to repair the phone back to original spec. I’m actually impressed that Apple gives this out to consumers to use.

Re: Apple’s iPhone 14 Redesign for Repair

#346

Post by hot_gril »

dkonofalski wrote: post #339
goosedragons wrote: post #242

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you have a source for this? AppleCare+ for a MacBook Air is $250. You can get a 4 year 3rd party extended warranty for a similarly priced laptop off Amazon for $170. Presumably they make money off this but don't have advantages that Apple does like at cost repair parts. Are Apple products such garbage or so hard to repair that shorter more expensive warranties lose money? Seriously?

3rd party extended warranties don't work the same way as the repair program. With a 3rd party warranty, they don't have to fix it with an equal part and they can also swap out the machine for a refurbished one.

A swap sounds like it'd cost them more than it costs Apple to repair it.

Re: Apple’s iPhone 14 Redesign for Repair

#347

Post by anotherboffin »

_V_ wrote: post #316
jitl wrote: post #9

Apple started offering home repair kits for iPhone this year, but they’re super difficult to use: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/25/technology/personaltech/a... There’s speculation that offering the kits is an attempt to head off right-to-repair legislation. But seeing this redesign, I wonder to what degree the repair program is incentivizing repairability within apple’s corporate structure. Now that “profit/loss pe…

Last time I checked it was not like that - those kits are actually quite easy to use. The catch is that in order to buy it, you need to give them SN of the device in advance . Meaning you cannot have stock and thus you cannot offer any reasonably fast repair service. And even after that you have to contact their support in order to "pair" the newly installed parts to that device. Most of the people I know use 3rd par…

Apple took 30 minutes when last I had them replace a battery…

Re: Apple’s iPhone 14 Redesign for Repair

#348

Post by reaperducer »

sangnoir wrote: post #307
vishnugupta wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but they’re super difficult to use That dude is looking for problem when there's none. He starts off the article with this > For people like me who have little experience repairing electronics, the self-repair setup was so intimidating that I nearly wussed out. Did he expect Ikea like instruction manual to repair an advanced consumer electronic gadgets? That kit is clearly meant for professional (or at the very lea…

> I mean that 75pound repair equipment requiring $1200 hold on a card... How is this legal? Holds ought to be capped at the maximum payable for a transaction.

How is this legal? Holds ought to be capped at the maximum payable for a transaction.

Sounds like you've never rented a moving truck. Or a power tool. Or tried to rent a car with a debit card.

Re: Apple’s iPhone 14 Redesign for Repair

#349

Post by sennight »

pb7 wrote: post #321
sennight wrote: post #223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

Your "solution" to people buying products they love is "unrestrained ridicule"? Who hurt you that you have such disdain for people choosing to live the way the want? Look inside yourself and seek help dude.

No post body was provided.

Re: Apple’s iPhone 14 Redesign for Repair

#350

Post by shuntress »

dkonofalski wrote: post #170
shuntress wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some people expect their expensive tools to withstand the rigors of daily use.

Dropping devices on concrete is not "daily use". That's like saying that people should expect cars to be unaffected by randomly crashing into walls.

> Some people just do not treat their electronics like the expensive devices they are

Phones hit the floor sometimes. It just happens and it is normal in daily use.

You aren't wrong that phones are expensive devices but your comment oozes a toxic elitist "PEBCAK" attitude similar to something like "The antennas are VERY well designed you're just holding it wrong"*

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