Starting Aug. 23, Apple will begin selling official replacement parts for MacBooks through the company's self-service repair store.
For now, the replacement parts will only cover 2020 and 2021 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models built with the company’s M1 Arm chips. The company also hasn’t posted official pricing for any of the components yet.
However, Apple says it’ll supply “more than a dozen different repair types for each model, including the display, top case with battery, and trackpad, with more to come.” In addition, customers will be able to borrow a $49 rental kit that contains all the necessary tools to carry out the repairs.
“Customers can send replaced parts back to Apple for refurbishment and recycling, and in many cases receive credit of their purchase by doing so,” Apple said in the announcement.
The self-service store launched in April for US customers primarily as a way to fix broken iPhones. But the company plans on expanding the store to the European market and adding replacement parts for more Mac models sometime later this year.
On paper, the self-service store seems like a win for the right-to-repair movement. Over the years, Apple has gained a reputation for charging exorbitant prices to repair iPhones and MacBooks. However, the company’s self-service store isn’t for casual consumers. Instead, Apple says it's mainly meant for customers experienced in fixing electronics. So you’ll need to be comfortable using some complex and heavy tools. Replacement parts for the iPhone can also range from $70 for a battery to $270 for a display.
Still, interested customers can start their order by visiting the online self-service repair store or going to the Apple support page to kick off the process. Otherwise, the company suggests consumers use its authorized repair services to fix their Apple devices.
"For the vast majority of customers who do not have experience repairing electronic devices, visiting a professional repair provider with certified technicians who use genuine Apple parts is the safest and most reliable way to get a repair," Cupertino added.