Apple's self service repair program got released, let's check it out (Louis Rossmann)
Posted Apr 27, 2022, 5:46 PM UTC
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Industry and repair experts agree...
No they don't. I worked at three electronics factories, all of which- (repeat for emphasis) all three of which had separate rework areas and personnel for repairing boards which failed functional tests. Separate rework areas and personnel. Now, I'm not a "industry [or] repair expert" but it's probably safe to assume that the people who decided to do this at these electronics factories are.
...are best performed in a factory environment using specialized repair equipment...
but not exactly the same environment, and not even close to the same equipment used to make the board in the first place, in my experience and observation. (By the way, the fiddly nonsense the pick-and-place operators I saw had to deal with- ...massive props for those guys. One of the places had this old PROSERT machine from the 1970s, and I have no idea how that thing works properly. I'm talking about the production equipment; it's literally impossible to use those for repairs because the solder is in the way even if there is no component in the spot. To clean it up well enough, then reprogram the machine to insert the few components that need to be replaced, then resume it for production work is absolutely ridiculous.)
I pasted it here first! (The earlier version at r/louisrossmann was typed from scratch Ｏ(>▽<)Ｏ)
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TLDW: Apple release a program, website has some parts like display flexes, batteries, speakers for iPhone. Even some tools like a press to replace the watertight screen seal Good! (although a charger port is missing)
Only products here are iPhones and only 12, and 13. No older phones, no MacBooks Bad!
Finally there are no components for “board level repair” as Apple claims in paraphrase that it’s too difficult and requires “precise equipment”. They also are not providing board level schematics if one wanted to source the bga yourself. Bad!
Overall, it’s a step forward in the right direction so credit where credits is due , but without support for older products, Non-iPhone products, critical components (charging port), or board level schematics with discrete BGAs available. It’s of little use to people like Louis.
With the caveat that this current level of commitment seemingly only has a goal of keeping regulators away.
It's a step forward with the intention of never needing to take another step again if they leave it as is.
They said MacBooks are coming in their press release later this year...
I wonder if you could make money buying up iPhone 12 and 13 parts now, and then reselling them in 4 years when they are discontinued to people needing parts.
Almost impossible. Any investment has something called a ROI which is a return on investment.
The ROI for holding inventory for 4-5 years until these phone start failing en masse is terrible. It’s something that a repair shop might have to do, but only because they don’t have to make money on the parts. They sell the repair service and parts as a complete package.
These aren’t requests by actual consumers anymore but mostly third party repair shops and knockoff parts makers looking to cash in on the iPhone parts industry.
I don't understand your logic. If no 'actual' consumer wants to fix their phone, why there's a iphone parts industry? The knowoff parts makers exist because Apple refuses to offer first party parts for fixing and replacement.
There's a LOT of apple users out there, I don't think it's unrealistic at all to think at least 1% of them wants to do their own repair, and even 1% of apple users is a LOT of people.
Besides that, I support third party repair shops gaining private profit by pushing the right to repair agenda to:
Somebody making a dollar and a cent from lobbying for a cause is not always necessarily a terrible thing. These independent shops increase the accessibility of repair services while driving down cost.
and why they can cash in?bcoz mf can undercut fruit and still make profit
I personally do solder work on simpler devices to repair them. I'd be happy if schematics were available for my more complicated devices as it'd make it easier for me to take a crack at repairing them.