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Yesterday, Apple surprised us all with a program to repair our own iPhones. Of course, it is an undoubted triumph of the right to repair, since it achieves one of its objectives with Apple that will drag down other manufacturers. Although this is good news, we run the risk of thinking that any user will be able to fix a broken iPhone. Nothing is further from reality.

Tiny puzzles in the shape of a pocket computer

The reality is that disassembling and repairing an electronic product is complex. A lot. More when we take into account the time that has passed from the original iPhone to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, authentic puzzles full of electronics to the brim.

In the past, I've swapped out the SSD on a 2011 MacBook Pro and a 2010 White MacBook. Both relatively easy operations, requiring nothing more than a small screwdriver, small putty knife, a compatible SSD, and a lot of patience. I've even changed the battery twice, as well as the back cover, on a 2008 iPhone 3G.

With zero technical training and no more than a YouTube video, I was able to complete these operations. I sweated to make sure I didn't have extra parts, arranging the tiny screws and paying attention to where each one went. But this does not make me a MacGyver or encourage me to want to repair an iPhone 12 or an iPhone 13, which are the first models that the program will cover.

The internal difference between an iPhone 3G and iPhone 12 is enormous. The more components stuck together, the more screws, the more likely to break the tiny ribbon that holds the screen to the motherboard. A yank stronger than necessary or a screw lodged in the wrong place can add several hundred euros to the repair bill.

Encouraging the used market

The cynic will think that Apple has revealed the self-repair program due to legislative pressure from the US and the EU. That Apple wanted to protect its income from repairs at all costs or force the user to buy new products. The reality is quite different, since too expensive a repair or replacement of the product are risks for the user to leave the ecosystem and go to Android. A lost customer.

If we look at the big picture, we'll see that the addition of the home repair program is one more milestone in a journey started years ago. Certainly, it will help to comply with the legislation that is being forged, but it cannot be denied that it is part of a plan:

Repairing devices helps give them a second life, maybe even a third. A well-maintained iPhone can have up to three users with a very long lifespan. Offering the possibility of changing batteries and screens, the two elements most susceptible to wear and tear, will further expand your presence in the second-hand market.

There are still many unknowns to be cleared up. Price of spare parts, necessary tools, manuals and other details that we will know in the coming months. But the general idea is already there.

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