Apple is enhanceing its repair program, enabling customers and independent repair providers to utilize used Apple parts in repairs. Starting this fall, owners of an iPhone 15 or newer will be able to get their broken devices fixed with used parts — including screens, batteries and cameras — without any change in functionality.
Apple won’t supply repair shops or technicians with used parts and this shift in policy won’t apply to older versions of the iPhone.
Still, the change could be especially helpful for people who can’t afford Apple Store prices for an out-of-warranty repair, or for those whose most convenient repair option is a local shop.
In older versions of the iPhone, replacing certain parts with components harvested from other iPhonesyields an on-screen warning and a disabling of some features. Swap a screen from one iPhone into another, for example, and the True Tone feature — which makes colors on your screen look more natural — stops working. That would happen even if that replacement screen came from a new iPhone.
That’s because these parts are effectively locked to the device they came with originally — a practice commonly known as “parts pairing.” Historically, the only way to restore full functionality is for an authorized repair person to use new Apple parts that the company has certified through a “system configuration” process.
Going forward, Apple says, that configuration will happen right on the phone and won’t require a repair person to provide a part’s serial number.
“At Apple, we’re always looking for new ways to deliver the best possible experience for our customers while reducing the impact we have on the planet, and a key part of that means designing products that last,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering.
“For the last two years, teams across Apple have been innovating on product design and manufacturing to support repairs with used Apple parts that won’t compromise users’ safety, security, or privacy. With this latest expansion to our repair program, we’re excited to be adding even more choice and convenience for our customers, while helping to extend the life of our products and their parts.”
