Self-repair: Apple releases diagnostic tool for Europe
If you want to repair your defective Apple devices yourself, a software tool is available. The repair program is being expanded to include newer models.
(Image: Apple)
With the Self-Service Repair Program (SSRP), Apple offers original spare parts for end customers who want to repair their devices themselves. In the USA, customers have already been able to test their devices for several months using a tool called "Apple Diagnostics for Service Repair". As of today, the tool is available in 32 other countries. In addition to the UK, these are France, the Netherlands and Germany.
What the diagnostic tool can do
Apple Diagnostics supports iPhones, Macs and the Studio Display. The tool is part of the operating system and is activated via a key combination when the iPhone or Mac is restarted. Various tests then appear on the screen. Apple Diagnostics can be used to play test sounds via the speakers, show test images for displays or check the functionality of sensors. Apple Diagnostics displays the test results via a web portal that can be accessed via the browser of another device, such as a Mac. This should help customers to identify problems more easily before repair and determine which parts need to be repaired or replaced. A nice side effect is that used devices can also be checked further before purchase.
Until now, the Apple Diagnostics web portal was only available to end customers in the USA and could only be accessed from Germany via detours. Authorized workshops have been able to use the diagnostics for some time. Mac & i explains how Apple Diagnostics works in a separate article.
White paper explains longevity
Apple also published the white paper "Longevity, by Design" today, which explains Apple's approach to the longevity and repairability of its own products.
In the document, the company explains, for example, that the longevity of Apple products should continue to increase and that "hundreds of millions of iPhones will be in use for more than five years". The service rates are also an indicator of quality and reliability. According to Apple, the out-of-warranty repair rate fell by 38 percent between 2015 and 2022, while the number of accidental damages fell by 44 percent. This is partly due to the improvement of the housings. Since the introduction of water protection with the iPhone 7, repairs for liquid damage in Apple workshops have fallen by 75 percent.
Apple states that newer devices are designed in such a way that they are easier to repair. In the paper, the company presents four principles of repairability. These include the environmental impact of a product, access to repair services such as authorized workshops, security and privacy, and transparency in the repair process. In the white paper, Apple also comments on controversial topics such as the safety of rebuilt batteries or the controversial tying of spare parts.
What the repair program covers
Apple launched the sale of spare parts via the Self-Service Repair Program in the USA in 2022, partly to avoid being forced to do so by a general right to repair. The program has been available in Germany since 2023. Although these are original Apple parts and Apple also offers high-quality tools, repairing some devices is by no means trivial. In addition, Apple also charges quite high prices for self-repair, which are hardly lower than a repair by a certified workshop. In addition to Macs with Apple's own M processors, the program includes iPhones (from 12) and the Studio Display.
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