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

1–10 of 226 posts

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

#2

Post by rasz »

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 information

- wait for replacement unit (at a price not dissimilar to the price of same model 100% working used device)

- mount new battery / screen after about a week

Its designed in a way to not make any economical sense, but sound like Apple is a real independent repair champion.

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

#4

Post by tmaly »

I have a 2013 MBP that started random crashing several years back. I took it into a Mac store and they could not help me. I have always suspected a hardware issue. Repair for a new board was just not worth the cost.

If this works and it would bring the cost down, I would still consider trying to get this machine fixed.

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

#5

Post by rasz »

tmaly wrote: post #4

I have a 2013 MBP that started random crashing several years back. I took it into a Mac store and they could not help me. I have always suspected a hardware issue. Repair for a new board was just not worth the cost. If this works and it would bring the cost down, I would still consider trying to get this machine fixed.

It will cost you ~$450 in a real independent shop. Apples only option for repairing logic boards was always swapping whole thing for $850-1600 or up-sell to a new device.

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

#7

Post by robin_reala »

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…

That doesn’t sound legal in the EU. Is it true in Europe that to be an independent repair shop you have to get your customers to consent to having their personal data processed by Apple before they can get their phone fixed?

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

#9

Post by abawany »

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 appointment at the Apple Store to get the battery replaced while one waited.

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

#10

Post by bluedino »

I remember last year when Best Buy stores all became AASP’s...except they don’t really do any work on Macs at all. They send them out to their service centers and don’t even use OEM batteries in their replacements, for example.

With the nearest Apple store two hours away (and not even open this year), it would be nice if Best Buy could do the work...sigh

Post reply on HN