[ifixit] We Are Retroactively Dropping the iPhone’s Repairability Score::We need to have a serious chat about iPhone repairability. We judged the phones of yesteryear by how easy they were to take apart—screws, glues, how hard it was…
“Why don’t you buy Apple products?”
Me: Gestures broadly at this:
Ever the innovators, Apple introduced a new dimension to repair that our scorecard simply didn’t account for: namely, that you could take a highly repairable design like the iPhone 14, install a genuine Apple replacement screen or battery, and then… it fails to work. Following the correct procedure was no longer enough.
Today, you need one more thing: a software handshake, using Apple’s System Configuration tool. It contacts Apple’s servers to “authenticate” the repair, then “pairs” the new part to your system so it works as expected. Of course, it can only authenticate if Apple knows about your repair in advance, because you gave them the exact serial number of your iPhone, and they’ve pre-matched it to a display or battery. This is only possible if you buy the screen or battery directly from Apple. Forget harvesting parts—which is a huge part of most independent repair and recycling businesses. It’s also impossible to pair any aftermarket parts—which means only Apple-authorized repairs can truly restore the device to full functionality.
I think calling it DRM is incorrect. I think Apple and its audience belief you should be able to tell if a replacement part could be counterfeit, and possibly have a security vulnerability as a result. However, it should be a one-time notice that a user can dismiss and continue using the phone’s complete functionality.
For example, if someone replaces a camera module, Face ID could technically be compromised. That said, the security for Face ID is on the device itself, and replacing the module with a third-party one, as long as they was made aware it may not be as secure as the original part, let them do what they want with their own device.
EDIT: If it were me, I would want to know a part in my phone is not directly from Apple, but I would still want the ability to determine if I want to continue using the phone like that or straight up replace it. It should be the user’s decision.
However, it should be a one-time notice that a user can dismiss and continue using the phone’s complete functionality.
Hmm, I broadly agree with the idea that users should be able to dismiss these warnings and repair their devices however they want, but I’d imagine a dodgy repair shop would just press ‘OK’ on the counterfeit part warning before handing it back to the client.
Not sure what the solution is - maybe a screen in the settings that can list all parts warnings so an owner can view it after a repair? That relies on people actually checking, but at some point users need to show some responsibility for verifying a repair was done correctly if they’d care.
We almost need a new term for this, because Digital Rights Management (DRM) is usually for digital media. I’d almost want to call this Physical Rights Management, since it’s controlling our right to physically repair and swap parts.
I can understand Apple refusing to do repairs under warranty, or even invalidating a warranty, if someone has broken their phone after digging around inside without knowing what they are doing, but bricking a phone the person owns through a software lock is absolutely insane and stinks of attempts at service capture and fighting right to repair laws.
Yet another reason I’ll never give them a penny.
Fairphone gang rise up!
I can’t even imagine that. Modifying your device DOES NOT void your warranty. The burden of proof is on the manufacturer to prove that the modification caused the failure.
I get that, and I don’t want to use cars as a good example because they aren’t, but even car manufacturers have less restrictive policies than Apple is pushing here.
It would still be wrong to invalidate the warranty for the reasons you give, but it’s still better than this.
Completely understandable.
The way I often describe it is if I was wanting to buy a mid-range phone with the technical specs of a fairphone, I’d buy something cheaper with the same specs.
But if I’m happy to spend over £600 on a phone - which imo is absolutely at the luxury end of pricing - then I’m looking more at overal quality, and the combination of repairability, fair(er) sourced materials, etc, makes it better.
However why anyone would spend a grand plus on a phone is absolutely beyond me.
For a lot of people, their phone is the most useful and frequently used device they encounter in their day. Forking over a lot of money for a luxury version is less insane when seen from that context.
This hardware DRM shit is just plain evil. Was considering an Iphone next year for the first time, but going to nope right out of there.
Almost everything apple does nowadays is a marketing front, repairability, privacy, not including chargers, accessories and removing the headphone jack for the sake of the environment, and more to come.
Apple isn’t alone in not providing chargers. My S23 Ultra didn’t have one in the box.
But your S23 Ultra also uses the most common cable type for a charger. That isn’t proprietary. That you likely already have a good several of.
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If by “charger” you mean the brick that plugs into the wall, which I hope you do because it’s the only thing that Apple omits from the box, then Apple also uses that same cable type (USB type C). It’s only the other end of the cable that is proprietary. And the cable itself is included with the phone.
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All of this is moot for the iPhone 15 pro and non-pro which are fully USB type C.
I think it’s a bit dishonest to imply this is the only reason they do things.
Privacy? I’d like to think that’s more than a marketing front considering how much data is actually worth.
Otherwise I totally agree with you
Actually, the whole Privacy part is one of the biggest gimmicks Apple has ever pulled.
Sure, it doesn’t allow Meta and Google to not allow data collection, but research indicates Apple continues to collect the same amount of data. In the long run, I’m sure that Apple would also use this data to serve ads in their own way, just that they’ll call it “iAds”, and fanboys would cream their pants
Bullshit - what “research”? Apple is in no way comparable to goddamn Google and Facebook here. Their ad sector is pretty much “display my app in the AppStore search if they search for similar things” and things like that, that only uses the actual search term, and very basic stuff about the user. They can make relatively much money on that, because they artificially own the whole “Apple market”, so they don’t have any competition there. They don’t fingerprint you across the whole internet, that’s for sure.
That’s why I used “Almost”
Privacy wise, Apple marketed its move as preventing apps from tracking you, when in reality what it did was make the Unique advertising id they have Made themselves Available to Apps Null if you opt out of tracking. It is like removing the harm they put in place by themselves .
(+) it doesn’t prevent app tracking as it can be done using other means and unique identifiers. They have lied about the scope and potency of this measure. while average Joe doesn’t care to verify their claims.
I’m gonna need some source for that last point, but I concede on what you’re saying for the first bit. When you say Privacy instead of “the advertising id debacle” it’s a bit confusing as privacy is a very large category and covers many other topics which they did not create but do protect against if we’re going to be fair and unbiased in our criticism.
It’s as much a “harm they put in place themselves” as website cookies are - these are technical artifacts that were maliciously used. It is just not arguing in good faith to claim they made it for tracking purposes - it’s like basic software development practice to create some unique IDs, and it has plenty useful roles.
And consumers “punish” Apple for these unrepairable devices by buying new iphones in record numbers.
Until consumers hurt Apple in the ONE place it cares - it’s pocketbook - hope is lost on changing them.
But consumers are like lemmings. We see this in pre-orders for videogames and folks who proudly are buying the latest crop of obnoxiously priced videocards, or in the car industry where some consumers paying way over sticker just so they can have the latest new model.
And then we wonder why companies seem to have us bent over.
apple people buy every new phone because they have massive FOMO and don’t want to be “shamed” by appearing poor by having an “old” phone.
Apple has created a cult of weirdos obsessed with spending thousands in service of their company for imaginary status and clout.
That might be true for some.
I genuinely just love iOS.
I got the 2nd iPhone, then the 5, got a 6 plus used, then got an SE2, gave that to my daughter, now I’m rocking a 12. This 12 was a gift from a friend or I wouldn’t be using it.
I won’t upgrade until I absolutely have to.
I honestly just genuinely prefer iOS to android.
And then their computers. If you were using a Mac with system 7, you can use a Mac today. Old folks suffer with change. Every new windows they move stuff around and make it impossible for old people (like my poor uncle who is still looking for “my computer” constantly).
My daily driver is Linux, but I love MacOS as well. I still use my 2012 power mac to record music because it’s what I know and love. If I needed to do more I’d get a newer used Mac.
Some people just like how it works and the fact that it’s been consistent for decades.
It’s the new keeping up with the Joneses. We can’t afford houses or new cars so what’s next?
To be fair, I’d have no idea why you’d want a brand new car anyways. They are inferior to older cars and just help with creating more waste.
Your two options are a repair ability nightmare with worrying privacy problems, and another repairability nightmare that may be slightly more repairable but is still a nightmare. Oh, and it is a privacy hellhole. The Fairphone is great, though, & seems to check all boxes
I really wanted to use the Fairphone to replace my old model, but unfortunately eOS doesn’t play well with the corporate apps I need to run for a daily driver phone. I tried Lineage just to see what I could do with it and had similar issues, all due to Google “security”. Not at all unexpected but I was hoping I could work around it all. Ended up having to send it back at the end of my return window and settle on having all my data harvested on a phone that while not as bad as Apple isn’t super easy to get parts for or get into the thing (Zenfone 10). Which sucks.
Maybe when I don’t need to rely on work stuff in my personal phone I can find a solution here, but until then I’m just the loud annoying guy yelling at clouds.
Everything is bundled, and you have to choose the bundle that works the best for you. For many people, that’s Apple devices.
I’ve owned Apple laptops for the last 10 years or so, because I find that they work for my needs. Do I wish they’d open source (or at least document) their non-standard hardware choices, so that their hardware would have easy Linux compatibility? Sure, that’d be nice.
But in the meantime, I like their trackpads, their audio hardware can’t be beat (at least on MacOS, I wish we could get this stuff working right in Linux), and I like their HiDPI displays, low-power CPUs/GPUs, and form factor. Yes, I have to trade off a lot of things to get here. But going with another device would involve other tradeoffs. So I think Apple is worth the tradeoffs for my laptops, not worth the tradeoffs for a phone (although every year I get more and more dissatisfied by the Android offerings).
When other consumers don’t weight the same tradeoffs the same way you do, it’s not because they’re “lemmings” or whatever.
I’m all for breaking up some of these bundles by law (requiring greater interoperability/repair, etc.). But until they do, consumers will need to make their decisions in the circumstances that exist, not the ones that they wish existed.
They’re actually quite easily repairable, with the right tools and knowledge. I quite enjoyed working on them while I worked in that industry. You don’t need all the heavy tools Apple send you as part of their odd program, you can use a regular spudge to get the phone open, IPA to dissolve the adhesives, and there are third party suppliers from which you can source parts.
And if you don’t want to go through all of that, that’s entirely understandable. That’s why you can also go to third-party repair shops that have these tools and supplies to be able to perform these repairs.
There are plenty of legitimate reasons to criticize these things and Apple proper without stretching the truth. “Unrepairable” is not an applicable term here.
Edit: you’ll have to forgive me. I’m used to people in my life bitching that the things they don’t understand being “unrepairable”, everything from smartphones to Volkswagens, when in reality it just requires some know-how and the right tools. The VIN locking is new to me, and it’s really shitty.
Except they VIN lock everything. If you execute a screen swap on 2 brand new phones perfectly, the result is a crippled phone.
There’s plenty of underhanded tactics Apple employs.
Check out Hugh Jeffreys’ content on this.
