[snapetom]

Authorized Service Providers and Independent Repair Provider are two separate programs. IRP was created a few years ago specifically for iOS devices. This article says that it's expanding to Macs.

ASPs have been around for decades. Computing stores in many US colleges/universities are ASPs. In the past, when Macs were much simpler, they were allowed to do a fair amount of work on then. However, you're right. As Macs have changed and everything has become fused together, ASPs have basically just become an interface between the customer and real Apple. Basically a "Genius" bar not in an Apple Store.