David Hanak In the United States in recent months, the so-called "Right to repair movement", i.e. an initiative that seeks to create legislation that would allow users and unauthorized services to repair consumer electronics more easily, has been gaining strength. Apple is also fighting against this initiative (and the laws that have recently resulted from it).
It could be interest you
Petr Škuta Last fall, it seemed that Apple had partially resigned, as the company published a new "Independent Repair Program" for unauthorized services. As part of it, these services were supposed to get access to official service documentation, original spare parts, etc. However, it has now become clear that the conditions for entering this program are extreme and for most service workplaces they can even be liquidating.
As Motherboard found out, if an unauthorized service wants to sign a cooperation agreement with Apple and thus ensure access to original spare parts, service documentation and tools, they must sign a special contract. It says, among other things, that by signing the service center, they agree that Apple can conduct unannounced audits and inspections for the purpose of checking whether there are no "prohibited components" in the services. These should include various non-original and other unspecified parts, which can be quite problematic in cases where the service does not only provide repairs to Apple products.
Furthermore, the services undertake to provide Apple with information about their clients, their devices and what repairs were carried out. Unauthorized service providers must also give their customers a notice to sign that they agree and acknowledge that their Apple product is being serviced in a non-certified facility and that the repairs performed are not covered by Apple's warranty. She actually wants the services to harm themselves in the eyes of their clients.
It could be interest you
In addition, these conditions apply to services even after the termination of the contract with Apple, for a period of five years. During this time, Apple representatives can walk into the service at any time, check what they think is "incorrect" behavior or the presence of "unapproved" spare parts, and fine the service accordingly. In addition, the conditions for this are very one-sided and, according to lawyers, they can be potentially liquidating for service centers. Workplaces that Apple finds guilty of violating the terms will have to pay a fine of $1000 for each potentially suspicious transaction in cases where they account for more than 2% of all payments during the audited period.
Apple has not yet commented on these findings, some independent service centers completely reject this form of cooperation. Others are a bit more positive.
Source: Macrumors
+ it's good to note that their famous program only covers battery and display replacement. Any other components cannot be ordered.
+ buzzing when the battery cannot be replaced while waiting. The spare part is ordered against the production number of the old one.
Or explain to the customer that he will wait 14 days to a month for something as trivial as a battery change.
I really wonder which service center can give a nod to the terms of cooperation. Because autonomy is usually needed to run a company.
They can become an authorized service, right?
But that's bullshit...