Apple said it would start selling parts, tools and repair guides to repair shops and independent maintenance to repair broken iPhones, a major change after years of pressure to try to change laws in some US states, forcing it to move.
“The company will be launched in the United States before being distributed to other countries, and aims to help ease the strong demand for Apple and its authorized partners to repair millions of broken screens and burned charging ports”, the iPhone maker said in a post on her blog.
This step means that independent repair and maintenance shops will receive official replacement parts for out-of-warranty repairs at the same price as authorized service providers, such as Best Buy.
Analysts say the move could create more opportunities for Apple to sell services, or accessories if it encourages iPhone owners to dispense with devices used for friends and family.
Apple iPhone sales have fallen in the past two quarters, but accessories sales, such as AirPods and Apple Watch, as well as paid services such as Apple Music have helped offset some of the drop in revenue.
Independent repair and maintenance shops have long complained that the prices Apple requires to become certified service providers are too high, forcing many of them out of the repair market.