The Apple independent repair provider program will expand to more than 200 countries. It is a voluntary response to the ever-strengthening ‘right to repair’ movement that has Apple firmly fixed in its sights.
In theory, the Apple independent repair provider program enables legitimate shop-front repair providers access to genuine Apple parts, tools, repair manuals, and diagnostics to offer safe and reliable repairs for select Apple products.
All participating repair providers have access to training from Apple and the same genuine parts, tools, repair manuals, and diagnostics as Apple Authorised Service Providers (AASPs) and Apple Stores. To verify that a company participates in the program, visit here.
Catches – Apple’s independent repair provider program
The big one is that the program only covers out-of-warranty iPhone or Mac repairs (no mention of other products). If it is in warranty, it is back to the Apple Store or AASP.
At first look, certification seems pretty straightforward. To qualify, repair providers need to commit to having an Apple-certified technician on staff to perform the repairs. The application process to become an independent repair provider is free.
Apple gives no actual definition of what constitutes an Apple-certified technician. Nor does it state the costs to gain the training and ability to achieve that. But Apple states, “Becoming certified to repair Apple products requires passing exams through an online Authorised Testing Centre (at whatever cost). Certifications are on a per-product basis annually. Apple generously waives the certification exam fees for approved Independent Repair Providers.
And one good catch – dodgy pop-up, mall repairers and work from home are excluded. These cheap repairers are the scourge of the repair industry. They offer no genuine warranty. They totally ignore Australian Consumer Law rights with the ability to dodge common law requirements for repairs and refunds.
GadgetGuy’s take
It may cost more to use an independent repair provider. Having owned an authorised repair centre for various brands, let me tell you that it is not easy nor cheap to get certification. One national Australian certified training organisation stated ‘off the record’ that training packages for the recent iPhone and Macs (hardware and software) alone could cost above $40,000 with the need to complete internships at Apple AASPs. They added that most applicants also undertook networking and business certification skills courses as well.
Another training organisation stated it offered a 7-day workshop Apple Certified iOS Technician (ACiT) course for $4,000 but that only covered the recent iPhone 12 hardware. Add-ons for older iPhones, older versions of iOS and mobile device management were extra. They suggested a three-day course at $1500 to see if I had the aptitude before committing to the ACiT course.
So while Apple may be positively responding to ‘right to repair’ pressure (See Guardian Productivity Commission article here) – the reality in Australia may be a little different.
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