Reports are saying that Apple will soon be giving their customers the option to repair their own devices, such as the iPhone. A statement from the company details that customers will soon have the ability to repair their own devices' screens, batteries, and cameras with parts and tools provided by Apple.

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According to VICE, this is a move by Apple that not many phone providers have made in recent years.

The company sent out a press release detailing the change in policy. Previously, around 5,000 Apple Authorized Service Providers and 2,800 Independent Repair Providers were given access to these tools, parts, and manuals per the release.

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The release adds that the company will start by offering customers the opportunity to repair their own iPhone screen, as well as the battery and the camera. More options for additional repairs are expected to come next year.

How will customers order replacement parts from Apple?

Customers looking to place an order for parts will utilize the Apple Self Service Repair Online Store. The press release says that customers who return used parts will receive a purchase credit, incentivizing recycling.

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Will iPhone repairs be easy for all users?

Now, the company makes it clear in their release that this service is intended for, "...individual technicians with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices", making it clear that these repairs will not be for every iPhone user. Most users needing repairs will still need to rely on professional repair providers with certified technicians to perform these types of repairs.

The self-service repair option will first be available for iPhone 12 and iPhone 13. Mac computers with M1 chips will follow. The Apple Self Service Repair Online Store is expected to be available to customers in the United States in early 2022 and will expand to other countries per the press release.

See the full report from @VICE on Twitter below.

As someone who has done their fair share of tinkering with electronics over the years, I still won't be the first person in line to order parts for self-repairs for my iPhone or Mac. Personally, the risk of screwing up the repair and causing debilitating damage to my device is far too great to crack open my iPhone and have-at-it.

Even with Apple providing user guides, tools, and parts for the repairs, this service will not be for the majority of iPhone users. Thankfully, there will still be authorized Apple repair services around to do all of the dirty work if you're like me.

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While it seems to be a good move on Apple's part, providing their customers with everything necessary to fix their own devices, my iPhone is still such an important tool to my everyday work and life. I wouldn't feel comfortable cracking open my tiny-pocket-computer because if something went wrong, it would be detrimental to my productivity.

But, I have a strong feeling there will be plenty of YouTube tutorials and additional tools that will eventually make seemingly simple fixes, such as changing out your own iPhone screen, really simple for the average user. In reality, those helpful tools are already out there.

The only difference now is that Apple will be providing their tools and parts directly to the consumer.

CHECK IT OUT: How To Unlock Your iPhone With Your Voice

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