Apple to Allow Used Parts for Repairs, Starting With iPhone 15 Lineup

[ric22]

Too much liability. What happens if third party parts wrecks the phone? If Apple says they won’t repair phones with third party parts, there will be law suits.

Why the fear of installing third party parts? We've spent many decades tinkering with desktop PC's, for example, and if somehow an errant part blew the whole thing up I wouldn't expect to be able to go back to the original manufacturer and whinge at them.

What about cars? If you change your Ford oil filter with a generic one do people panic? They have the option of genuine parts or cheaper off brand parts. If the things are a liability people won't buy from that manufacturer. Cars also have the safety factor to consider- you don't want to risk the lives of your family or other road users. However if I chose to upgrade to a set of Brembo brakes I wouldn't be terrified I'd gone behind Ford's back, nor worry that if the Brembo brakes failed that Ford would be opened up to lawsuits...

 

[TechnoMonk]

Phone is too compact and personal. I have an AMD/Nvidia workstation I built for 3rd of price of Mac Pro. I don’t want fake Face ID sensors to steal my data or cheap battery to burn down the house. My workstation I like to upgrade/tinker and don’t buy Apple/

 

[xpxp2002]

I’m more concerned that this just means warranty and AppleCare+ repairs are more likely to use used parts than before.

 

[jarman92]

But if the phones are broken...

You can disable Activation Lock remotely.

 

[AgeOfSpiracles]

I’m more concerned that this just means warranty and AppleCare+ repairs are more likely to use used parts than before.

IMO this is a total non-concern. Apple can (and always could) technically unlock any part and register it to your device. This change would allow a third-party shop to install used parts in a device, provided that they aren't iCloud locked, which they can't truly do today without throwing a bunch of warnings and disabling certain features.

 

[ric22]

Phone is too compact and personal. I have an AMD/Nvidia workstation I built for 3rd of price of Mac Pro. I don’t want fake Face ID sensors to steal my data or cheap battery to burn down the house. My workstation I like to upgrade/tinker and don’t buy Apple/

No one would enforce non-Apple parts on you, but instead offer people that want to buy a non Apple screen that opportunity, for example.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

What about cars? If you change your Ford oil filter with a generic one do people panic?

How many different things does an oil filter do? How complex is what an oil filter DOES? What makes up an oil filter, is it a simple physical machine where it’s main job is to allow oil to pass through while filtering out particulates of a specific size?

If someone were to look REALLY closely at the filter, creates one that filters oil in a similar way (maybe not down to the specific particulate size, but close enough… what’s the downside of that? Could that lead to a person’s identity being stolen? Could the car start driving erratically and crash into a wall?

It all comes down to the risk. Simple parts, simple, easy to understand risks. Complex parts where the person installing the part may not have the skills or knowledge (or tools) to know what ALL the traces are for so they than ensure they’re getting a quality part that meets a level of value and does not include any technology that may provide attackers a backdoor into the user’s system.

 

[t0rqx]

Genius move. Need to upsell/buy a new device first before able to use this. No point.

 

[ric22]

How many different things does an oil filter do? How complex is what an oil filter DOES? What makes up an oil filter, is it a simple physical machine where it’s main job is to allow oil to pass through while filtering out particulates of a specific size?

If someone were to look REALLY closely at the filter, creates one that filters oil in a similar way (maybe not down to the specific particulate size, but close enough… what’s the downside of that? Could that lead to a person’s identity being stolen? Could the car start driving erratically and crash into a wall?

It all comes down to the risk. Simple parts, simple, easy to understand risks. Complex parts where the person installing the part may not have the skills or knowledge (or tools) to know what ALL the traces are for so they than ensure they’re getting a quality part that meets a level of value and does not include any technology that may provide attackers a backdoor into the user’s system.

What's a screen going to do to the rest of a phone? Pick up a sword and attack it?

Guys, does your fear of non-Apple products extend to monitors? By this iPhone component logic surely your devices are at risk when you plug in an external screen?

 

[AgeOfSpiracles]

What's a screen going to do to the rest of a phone? Pick up a sword and attack it?

Guys, does your fear of non-Apple products extend to monitors? By this iPhone component logic surely your devices are at risk when you plug in an external screen?

Do I worry about it? Not especially. Should I? Apparently.

Cyberstalkers can hack into HDMI ports – FIU researchers are studying a way to detect these attacks

Researchers are studying how to prevent individuals and businesses from an unsuspected vulnerability — HDMI ports.

news.fiu.edu

HDMI is an attack vector. The more you know....

 

[Supermallet]

This why those who cry about the right to repair might be getting something they don't want. I mostly am careless leaving my phone on the table at restaurants when I get up and get something. The phone is useless as a phone but would get very valuable if it could be used for parts.

These "we want to repair our phones" people are an ultra minority squeaky wheel that is getting too much grease.

Right to repair shouldn't exist because you're careless where you leave your phone? Have you considered just putting your phone back in your pocket as a better solution?

 

[ric22]

Right to repair shouldn't exist because you're careless where you leave your phone? Have you considered just putting your phone back in your pocket as a better solution?

I'm not sure the back pocket is any safer than laying on a table 😅

 

[ric22]

Do I worry about it? Not especially. Should I? Apparently.

Cyberstalkers can hack into HDMI ports – FIU researchers are studying a way to detect these attacks

Researchers are studying how to prevent individuals and businesses from an unsuspected vulnerability — HDMI ports.

news.fiu.edu

HDMI is an attack vector. The more you know....

But are non Apple monitors any more or less hackable?

 

[AgeOfSpiracles]

But are non Apple monitors any more or less hackable?

I'd trust a ViewSonic more than I would some no-name-alibaba monitor. Also, don't cheap out on cables!

But besides that, your point was that screens are harmless and carry zero risk, and that's clearly not true. Any component that contains firmware is a potential hazard (ask those Iranian centrifuges). And yes, I'd trust a screen replacement part from Apple more than I would one from the WE-Fix-IT kiosk in the mall.

 

[jjwwqq]

A baby step in the right direction. Hopefully.

 

[Supermallet]

I'm not sure the back pocket is any safer than laying on a table 😅

I never understood keeping a wallet or phone in my back pocket. Isn’t that how bendgate started? 😂

 

[Sezel]

"BUT when it will realize that its worth 0, he will throw it."

That thrown out device can be located and reacquired.

In my honest opinion this will be the best implementation of activation lock.

 

[hoodafoo]

I don't want used phone parts in my phone. gross..

 

[mlody]

Making iphones stolen or maybe simply lost, unusable, will be more environmentally friendly 😂
Truth is icloud block is only apple's another greedy way to make money, masked by the best antitheft system ever.
A thief will get a sitting phone on a table regardless if its an cheap android or an iphone 15. It's an occasion to get it so he will get it! What then? He will sell it anyway, even for few bucks. BUT when it will realize that its worth 0, he will throw it. No money for thief, no phone for the victim, who will buy another one. One iphone stolen = one more iphone sold by apple. Yeahthe victim may have the satisfaction that damn thief doesnt earned a buck, however another big thief earned a lot more...
Another example not involving thiefs. My friend works in a big company, where workers are given phones, some iphones some androids. When they stops working there, they obviously return those phones. Well, no one checks the state of those phones and most of them are given back locked. While u can unlock androids, iphones are unusable. My friend sent my once a photo of a box full of locked iphones... Again apple earns, my friend's company loses...

So the thief will then realize that stealing phone is worthless and won't do it again. If a thief makes the money, he only gets encourage to steal more. Either way, a lost phone needs to be replaced.

As far as you 2nd part, that is a company policy issue and nothing to do with iPhone.

 

[zapmymac]

It sure will be hard to read the serial number on the screws! Kidding aside, I wonder how much this is for the consumer and not for Apple's bottom end and/or anti-trust issues.

I am cautiously optimistic.

 

[deevey]

I love Activation Lock on paper, but in practice it seems like would-be thieves haven't gotten the memo yet.

The data stored on the phone are worth money too don't forget. You'd be surprised how many folk use 0000 or 1234 as their unlock code.

And then ....

 

[svish]

Good to see this happening. Hopefully Apple will allow this for older devices.

 

[Tailpike1153]

"in order to deter stolen iPhones from being disassembled for parts. "

I got them Apple parts.....get your Apple parts here

View attachment 2367610

I got Major Inspector Gadget vibes looking at the picture.

 

[JonnyMacx86]

The data stored on the phone are worth money too don't forget. You'd be surprised how many folk use 0000 or 1234 as their unlock code.

And then ....

That's a very good point that I hadn't considered!

 

[currocj]

I really like this. It lets people reuse iPhone parts, while keeping the best parts of the activation lock. Honestly, it seems like a win-win for everyone involved.

100% I like this ALL around…
A win for the consumer
And a loss for the thief, which is a win for the consumer and Apple.

Can’t we all just get along?