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   From: fritz@spamexpire-202103.rodent.frell.theremailer.net   
      
   Right-to-repair activists say the issue of tight repair   
   restrictions extends beyond Apple into other industries   
      
   Some independent tech repair shops are disappointed with Apple's   
   fairly new plan to provide them with Apple equipment and repair   
   guides to fix customers' iPhones.   
      
   The tech giant said in an August statement that it would start   
   providing Apple certification classes to technicians, Apple-   
   genuine iPhone parts and tool guides to independent repair   
   providers (IRPs) so they could get the same benefits as Apple's   
   repair partners and better fix out-of-warranty iPhones for the   
   same cost as AASPs, Apple said in a statement.   
      
   “We are committed to giving our customers more options and   
   locations for safe and reliable repairs. Our new IRP program is   
   designed to give repair businesses of all sizes access to   
   genuine parts, training and tools needed to perform the most   
   common iPhone repairs," Apple told FOX Business in an email   
   after it was made aware that some independent technicians are   
   unhappy with the program.   
      
   "We are excited by the initial response and high level of   
   interest. We are working closely with interested parties and we   
   will update language in our materials to address their   
   feedback," the company added.   
      
   The only difference between Apple's repair partners, otherwise   
   known as "Apple Authorized Service Providers" (AASPs) --- think   
   BestBuy --- and IRPs is the fact that AASPs can only use Apple-   
   genuine parts to fix in- and out-of-warranty phones whereas IRPs   
   can use third-party parts in addition to Apple-genuine parts to   
   fix out-of-warranty batteries and screens, so as long as they   
   disclose that information to customers.   
      
   "We were actually kind of excited about the program," Matt   
   McCormick, founder of the independent Seattle-based repair shop   
   Jet City Device Repair, told FOX Business.   
      
   "We put together a huge package of data to apply, they accepted   
   us [as an IRP] and got back to us with a contract. But when we   
   looked at the contract, the prices for Apple parts were so high   
   that we decided not to read any further," he said.   
      
   Apple's IRP announcement came after the company faced scrutiny   
   for its tight restrictions over who could and could not repair   
   iPhones, directing customers to make reservations at the store's   
   Genius Bar --- infamous for its long wait times --- or at AASP   
   stores in what some small businesses said violated their "right   
   to repair."   
      
   Right to repair has become an increasingly popular free-market   
   movement within tech and other industries.   
      
   "Apple will provide more independent repair businesses — large   
   or small — with the same genuine parts, tools, training, repair   
   manuals and diagnostics as its AASP The program is launching in   
   the U.S. with plans to expand to other countries," the tech   
   giant's August statement reads.   
      
   Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams said that to meet   
   customers’ needs, the company is "making it easier for   
   independent providers across the US to tap into the same   
   resources as our AASP network."   
      
   But that wasn't convincing enough for Congress.   
      
   The House Judiciary Committee sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim   
   Cook on Nov. 13 informing him that the committee was   
   investigating the tech giant's "competition in digital markets,"   
   specifically including its AASP program, as part of a broader   
   antitrust investigation into not only Apple, but Google,   
   Facebook and Amazon, as well.   
      
   The new iPhone X is pictured at the Apple Store Marche Saint-   
   Germain in Paris, France, Nov. 3, 2017. (REUTERS/Benoit Tessier)   
   Apple responded to a series of questions from Congress later in   
   November saying it recommends repairs are "conducted by a   
   certified technician who has completed Apple service training   
   and who uses Apple-genuine parts and tools," saying, "Genuine   
   Apple parts are designed, tested and manufactured for Apple   
   quality and performance standards."   
      
   "We continue to focus on providing customers convenient access   
   to authorized repair locations," Apple said in its replies,   
   mentioning its AASP program, "but we will never compromise on   
   safety."   
      
   McCormick is arguing that despite the fact that Apple said it   
   would provide independent repair businesses with the tools   
   necessary to fix iPhones with original equipment manufacturer   
   (OEM) Apple parts such as batteries and screens, Apple's plan   
   was to sell its equipment to small businesses for what he thinks   
   are overly expensive prices. Additionally, IRPs cannot provide   
   Apple warranty for Apple parts.   
      
   Such costs and restrictions would have a significant impact on   
   profitability for IRP iPhone repairs. IRPs can typically replace   
   a phone screen or battery for well under $100.   
      
   Apple charges $129 to repair the screen of an iPhone 5C, which   
   came out in 2013, according to its website. An iPhone 11 Pro Max   
   screen repair costs $329 through Apple. The company says these   
   repairs should make damaged phones work the same way they did   
   when they were purchased.   
      
   "The cost for the OEM parts is more than what we charge for a   
   repair," he said.   
      
   McCormick said there are a number of online forums for owners,   
   employees and customers of small repair stores like his who   
   agree that Apple's announcement to offer these tools to fix   
   iPhones to independent shops "is a joke."   
      
   One such Reddit user who goes by the online alias "Fudge" wrote   
   a post on the website's Apple subreddit page detailing his   
   thoughts on Apple's IRP program as a former third-party repair   
   shop employee and AASP technician.   
      
   "The back-end systems broken, the documentation is abysmally   
   bad, and it's a complete Australia-scale dumpster fire," said   
   Fudge, who spoke to FOX Business on the condition of anonymity   
   to keep his personal opinions about Apple separate from his   
   professional identity.   
      
   "The pricing and terms are awful, the benefits are horrible, and   
   there's a lot of other 'gotchas' that make it a bad investment"   
   for independent shops, Fudge said.   
      
   Fudge agreed with McCormick that the program is "a joke."   
      
   "Prices are crippling, you can't provide any warranty from Apple   
   even though you're using Apple parts, the bureaucratic processes   
   ruin the experience," he said, adding that "no documentation   
   means being thrown into the Global Service Exchange --- Apple's   
   god-awful system for creating and managing repairs --- without   
   help."   
      
   Apple maintains that its repair-related systems and   
   documentation related to repair are successfully used daily by   
   thousands of AASPs, and the IRP program has received a lot of   
   interest.   
      
   Fudge then explained the differences between the issues with   
   Apple's IRP program versus Apple's success with AASPs.   
      
   "In the third-party world, margins are usually thin. Because of   
   the flood of cheap garbage quality parts, and even mid-tier   
   garbage parts, prices have to be dropped in order to remain   
   competitive. This pricing from Apple makes this impossible to   
   realistically continue," he explained.   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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