Apple has extended the young repair program intended for end customers to M1 MacBooks. It will also be available in Europe soon.
Apple sells original MacBook replacement parts to end customers for the first time. As of Tuesday, it will be possible in the US to purchase parts and repair tools directly for MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with Apple’s M1 chip, as the manufacturer announced. This should make it possible for end customers to carry out the repair themselves. As part of the self-service repair program, Apple wants to offer, among other things, spare parts for changing the battery – this sometimes includes replacing the entire top case including the trackpad – as well as new displays. According to the company, there are more than a dozen different types of repairs to start with.
Apple parts, tools and instructions
In addition to the original parts, Apple also offers the special tool that the manufacturer and authorized dealers can use for repairs. This can be bought or rented. If hobbyists then send in the defective part, they should receive a credit note. For the first time, the manufacturer will also publish detailed repair instructions for these Mac models for the general public.
Self-repair options for other Mac models are to follow later this year. The start of self-service repairs in Europe is also still on the agenda for 2022, notes Apple. In addition to the MacBook parts, this also includes spare parts, tools and repair manuals for iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, which are already available in the USA. The company has not yet announced euro prices for the spare parts.
In the USA, for example, a replacement battery for the iPhone 12 costs 70 US dollars. If the old battery is then sent to Apple, the price drops to just under 50 dollars due to the credit. US prices do not include sales tax. In Germany, replacing the battery at Apple costs 75 euros (plus shipping costs).
Apple long against self-repair
In the USA, self-repair of iPhones with original parts has only been possible since the end of April 2022. The option is intended for customers who are familiar with the “complexity of repairing electronic devices,” Apple explained at the time. For many years, original parts could only be obtained from authorized dealers, and the manufacturer also kept repair manuals under lock and key. Under pressure from “Right to Repair” initiatives, the company began to expand the range in 2019 and first gave independent workshops access to the parts before the offer for end customers has now followed.
