(Credit: Apple)
In another win for the Right to Repair movement, Apple will let customers and repair technicians fix select iPhone models with used genuine parts, rather than only new, authorized components.
Apple says the change will offer consumers more repair options while "increasing product longevity, and minimizing the environmental impact of a repair."
“Used genuine Apple parts will now benefit from the full functionality and security afforded by the original factory calibration, just like new genuine Apple parts,” it says. Expect the change to roll out this fall, although the company didn’t specify which exact product models are covered.
Surprisingly, Apple can currently block or display warnings when an iPhone is fixed using parts taken from another iPhone. For example, repair site iFixit found that Apple’s software on the iPhone 15 can restrict the functionality if you swap out the device’s original selfie camera, biometric sensors, or display with a re-used one—even though it's an official Apple part.
Companies have been using this “parts pairing” practice to combat theft and monitor inventory. However, iFixit and other Right to Repair advocates says the measure is an excuse to block legitimate and cost-effective ways to maintain a consumer device.
“For refurbishers and independent repair shops, parts pairing deeply harms business. Harvested parts from broken devices like displays, cameras, and buttons can’t be reused,” iFixit says. “Customers are disappointed by lost functionality and scared away by the unnecessary and persistent warnings about unidentified parts.”
But it now looks like Apple is changing its stance after Oregon became the first US state to pass a Right to Repair law that outlaws parts pairing. In the announcement, the company argues that parts pairing is still a crucial way for Apple to preserve “the privacy, security, and safety of iPhone.” Still, Apple notes its engineers have been working for the past two years to balance the security factors with the ability to harness re-used spare parts to fix existing iPhones.
The company didn’t supply exact details on how the process will work. But in the announcement, Apple says "calibration for genuine Apple parts, new or used, will happen on device after the part is installed."
"In addition, future iPhone releases will have support for used biometric sensors. And in order to simplify the repair process, customers and service providers will no longer need to provide a device’s serial number when ordering parts from the Self Service Repair Store for repairs not involving replacement of the logic board,” the company says.
Meanwhile, to prevent theft, Apple says its Activation Lock feature will remain intact as a safeguard that can block criminals from harvesting stolen iPhones for parts. "If a device under repair detects that a supported part was obtained from another device with Activation Lock or Lost Mode enabled, calibration capabilities for that part will be restricted," the company adds.
The nonprofit Public Interest Research Group says the news underscores how the Right to Repair movement is only gaining steam across the US.
"Make no mistake: The reason Apple is doing this is because Right to Repair is moving forward, thanks to the efforts of state lawmakers and our coalition of tinkers, fixers, makers and environmental and consumer advocates," says Nathan Proctor, a PIRG senior director.
In addition, PIRG notes that Colorado lawmakers are also preparing to hear a bill that proposes outlawing parts pairing in the state.
But not everyone is calling Apple's decision a win. John Bumstead, a MacBook refurbisher, says the company's Activation Lock feature can still block the use of spare repair parts if a user fails to sign out of their iPhone. He argues these these Activation Locked parts should still be salvageable, otherwise they risk creating electronic waste.