Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Apple expands independent repair program to Mac after US antitrust investigation

techcrunch.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

91–100 of 226 posts

Re: Apple expands independent repair program to Mac after US antitrust investigation

#91

Post by somehnguy »

abawany wrote: post #9
rasz wrote: post #2

Just as a reminder, their phone "independent repair program" has you signing rights to your business away (you are forced to let apple audit you at any time, you have to share personal client data on all of your clients with apple. All of this not limited to Apple repair part of your business) for the right to: - remove battery / screen from client device - send battery / screen to Apple with all clients personal inf…

IME, they've really hobbled the functionality of independent repair shops, making it necessary to supplicate to the Apple Store. I was trying to get the battery replaced in a 2015 MBP and the independent shops were 'required' to keep my machine for about 7 days since they had to first 'diagnose' that the battery was dying, order it, wait for it to arrive, and then replace it. In contrast, one could make an appointmen…

You could have also done it yourself in about 15 minutes. I've done my 2015 MBP twice now, it's not hard at all.

I'm not sure why people in tech bother paying inflated prices for easy repairs. Just because you work with software doesn't mean you have to be afraid to turn a screwdriver ;)

Re: Apple expands independent repair program to Mac after US antitrust investigation

#92

Post by mehrdadn »

The independent repair program is designed to destroy independent repair businesses and mislead people in the process. It forces their customers to wait 1-2 weeks for any repair (even just a battery replacement) after being forced to provide their personal identifying information, and even then, does not provide parts for anything nontrivial at all. It ensures repair shops don't actually stay in business—customers wouldn't wait 1-2 weeks for just a battery replacement. Louis Rossmann explains it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPRjVvccQVM, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rCUF-V1esM

Re: Apple expands independent repair program to Mac after US antitrust investigation

#93

Post by arvinsim »

abawany wrote: post #9
rasz wrote: post #2

Just as a reminder, their phone "independent repair program" has you signing rights to your business away (you are forced to let apple audit you at any time, you have to share personal client data on all of your clients with apple. All of this not limited to Apple repair part of your business) for the right to: - remove battery / screen from client device - send battery / screen to Apple with all clients personal inf…

IME, they've really hobbled the functionality of independent repair shops, making it necessary to supplicate to the Apple Store. I was trying to get the battery replaced in a 2015 MBP and the independent shops were 'required' to keep my machine for about 7 days since they had to first 'diagnose' that the battery was dying, order it, wait for it to arrive, and then replace it. In contrast, one could make an appointmen…

I don’t think that’s true for all Apple Stores. I just got my battery replaced last week from an Apple Store and it took them a week to do it.

Re: Apple expands independent repair program to Mac after US antitrust investigation

#94

Post by stale2002 »

qppo wrote: post #63

This may be controversial (or maybe not, this is HN and not reddit), but there's a question I've never seen answered. I don't really care about how easy it is to repair my phone, or at least not as much as I care about using iOS. I knew if my iPhone were to break I'd have to take it to Apple, so I pay for Apple Care (like I pay for iCloud for my backups). I don't feel like I've been swindled. I feel like I made the p…

> Why should companies not be allowed to compete along this axis of features?

They can be allowed to compete in those features. That's fine. But people should also be allowed to do whatever they want with devices that they own.

Including getting it fixed by a 3rd party.

> Surely the markets have spoken

No, the market has not spoken. Because Apple will sue you if you try to do independent repairs, without going through them.

Re: Apple expands independent repair program to Mac after US antitrust investigation

#95

Post by egsmi »

sushshshsh wrote: post #58

Paging Louis Rossmann for how this actually is just lip service and not an "expansion" of any rights at all for anyone but Apple

I think you all are reading more into this that Apple is claiming. Apple is claiming expanded access to genuine parts and it seems they are delivering that.

https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2019/08/apple-offers-customer...

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-repair/apple-expand...

"Apple said Wednesday that 140 businesses with 700 locations have signed up for the program in the United States. Some of the independent shops, such as uBreakiFix, have multiple locations, while some are sole proprietorships."

That seems like expanded access, for shops and customers, to me.

Re: Apple expands independent repair program to Mac after US antitrust investigation

#96

Post by emptyparadise »

harikb wrote: post #82
sushshshsh wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am a real believer in right to repair. But I wonder, if we are unable to achieve legislative results, what can be done to build hardware on open standards?

People have tried and failed. https://www.theverge.com/2016/9/2/12775922/google-project-ar... I think there is no money in letting people repair and upgrade components.

Project Ara was so overdesigned that I'm almost convinced that it was a false flag.

Re: Apple expands independent repair program to Mac after US antitrust investigation

#97

Post by ben-schaaf »

sushicat wrote: post #68
qppo wrote: post #63

This may be controversial (or maybe not, this is HN and not reddit), but there's a question I've never seen answered. I don't really care about how easy it is to repair my phone, or at least not as much as I care about using iOS. I knew if my iPhone were to break I'd have to take it to Apple, so I pay for Apple Care (like I pay for iCloud for my backups). I don't feel like I've been swindled. I feel like I made the p…

I agree you with this one, it's not one way is better than the other. Personally I care about the design or portability much more than the repairability; I'm totally fine with them swap the whole logic board to repair one tiny chip, or even give me a new one instead; this "reflect my budget and concerns". The "right to repair" act seems will hurt consumers like me, which prefer a slimmer design than if it's repairabl…

Right to repair isn't about forcing companies to develop repairable devices. It's about removing the monopoly companies like Apple and John Deere have on their repair business.

Almost any device is repairable, Apple repairs devices themselves. When Apple does component level board repair, they do so with schematics and manuals they don't publish and parts you can't buy.

A free market would allow competing with Apple's repair business.

Re: Apple expands independent repair program to Mac after US antitrust investigation

#98

Post by abawany »

somehnguy wrote: post #91
abawany wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IME, they've really hobbled the functionality of independent repair shops, making it necessary to supplicate to the Apple Store. I was trying to get the battery replaced in a 2015 MBP and the independent shops were 'required' to keep my machine for about 7 days since they had to first 'diagnose' that the battery was dying, order it, wait for it to arrive, and then replace it. In contrast, one could make an appointmen…

You could have also done it yourself in about 15 minutes. I've done my 2015 MBP twice now, it's not hard at all. I'm not sure why people in tech bother paying inflated prices for easy repairs. Just because you work with software doesn't mean you have to be afraid to turn a screwdriver ;)

After my futile efforts to get it repaired at the independent shop and the Apple Store (they never came for me even with my appointment and I wasted an hour sitting in that place for no reason), I bought a third party battery and a set of guitar strings to replace it myself. I was successful but the battery was garbage so I had to return it and go back to the original swelled battery to be able to use the laptop albeit plugged in; I gave up and asked work to order me a new MBP instead. Total waste of time: 3 hours plus a perfectly good MBP going probably to the landfill thanks to a difficulty that Apple created for no good reason. Edit2: the guitar strings were used to saw off the nasty glue strips holding the original battery, along with d-limonene as a solvent to weaken their deathgrip.

In contrast, replacing the battery in my HP Elite x360 was a piece of cake - no nasty glue, no proprietary screws, and oem batteries available everywhere. HP sent me the battery under warranty (shipped next day) when I called them to buy one and I was able to replace it in minutes. Now that's a repairable product. Edit: clarified that HP in fact covered the battery cost under the included 3 year warranty.

Edit3: want to say that it was a bit uncalled-for of you to assume that I couldn't do the replacement myself. This was a work laptop (i.e. not my property) so I didn't feel it was my place to dink with it.

Re: Apple expands independent repair program to Mac after US antitrust investigation

#99

Post by mikepurvis »

sushicat wrote: post #73
mikepurvis wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's an argument here that the customer could end up the victim if they pay for a genuine part and end up with a knockoff. However, that should be something resolvable after-the-fact— if a device shows up at a Genius Bar with a counterfeit battery, ask the user where it came from, engage lawyers.

I remember when iOS started showing alert for non-genius battery for a while, some people hate it.

Looks like this started in 2019, so I guess it only affects more recent hardware? I put an iFixit battery in my 5S a year ago and I didn't hear any complaints (doubled the life of it compared to the tired old one in there, too).

Re: Apple expands independent repair program to Mac after US antitrust investigation

#100

Post by jjeaff »

Alupis wrote: post #83
trissylegs wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have both pro (Home desktop) and enterprise (Work laptop). I don't notice a difference. But we don't really take advantage of the group policy very much.

It used to be Home versions couldn't get more "Enterprise" features, like full partition encryption and the ability to join a Domain. Naturally GPO doesn't apply to a home user. These days, I run Pro on pretty much everything and don't seem to miss anything. Perhaps "Enterprise" comes with less Candy Crush and other bloatware pre-installed?

I don't think there is any difference between pro And enterprise except for some of the ways licensing is implemented and some group policy stuff.
Post reply on HN