[fock]

thanks, now I've skimmed the verge piece and read your summary and have to admit: wasn't the main point of the verge that it's absolute ridiculous that the "apple approved"-way of fixing things requires two peli-cases of custom tools. This doesn't scale FOR THEM and one of the main points of criticisim in the verge revolved around that! The whole process is just designed so that in 3-4 years Apple will go to their favorite congress critters and say: "look, noones using this and it's expensive!!!". Then fast-forward to Rossmanns point 3.

[heisenzombie]

It seems very unsurprising to me that Apple internally uses industrial tools and custom jigs and fixtures to repair iPhones. Right? Like, it would be super weird if they used low-cost hand tools.

So is the complaint here that in addition to making the parts available to purchase, and a rental program for the “industrial” gear, they should also have developed a parallel set of low-cost tools and procedures for the hobby/personal market?

I think that’s a red-herring. A home hobbyist would be better off going “great, thanks for the parts, I’m off to pay iFixit for some tools. Oh and now give us schematics and parts for when I work out how to do SMD rework”

(And for pro shops, the price quoted for those pelican cases strikes me as an absolute bargain, if they don’t already have tools they like better)

[Closi]

Yeah! It would be weird to me if Apple said the official recommended repair process was to use a domestic hand-dryer or a hot water bottle and a guitar pick.

[Brian_K_White]

"So is the complaint here that in addition to making the parts available to purchase, and a rental program for the “industrial” gear, they should also have developed a parallel set of low-cost tools and procedures for the hobby/personal market?"

No. It's that this is mostly a diversion that does nothing to address what someone actually needs to reapair a device, which is parts and for the software not to artificially brick the hardware. But it makes everyone else who don't repair things think that Apple is trying to be reasonable and cooperative while they're still not at all.

[Gigachad]

You don’t need those tools. It’s very easy to do with a hairdryer and a guitar pick. The point of the tools which is mentioned in the video is it allows a moron with no skill or hand to eye coordination to reliably replace batteries all day with no failures and a perfect finish.

You, a competent person, will just use a guitar pick and your fingers to do the same job. Or at least you won’t have anyone else to blame if you mess it up when apple offered the tools or the in store service to have it done.

Apple has a tool for putting glass screen protectors on phones, or unplugging the power cable from their monitors. All things normal people can manage just fine with their hands. But the tool costs very little when used regularly at a store and prevents the rare mistakes.

[arka2147483647]

Iphones have IP ratings. Make tiny mistake in battery swap and display re-gluing process, and your phone is no longer waterproof.

There is a difference in doing something properly, and doing it ”good enough”.

[Gigachad]

Sure, and if you care, you can either rent the tools, or bring your phone to a store that has them. I’m not sure what more could be done.

[seanp2k2]

To be fair, the person at The Verge couldn’t make it perfect because they didn’t remove all the adhesive around the screen, so already it’s Apple: 0, fools: 1.

[turbinerneiter]

The article made it seem like Apple is forcing anyone to get these tools, when they are not. The article heavily falls into the exactly that trap.

[delusional]

Excuse me what? Did we read the same article?

The conclusion of the article is literally:

>The more I think about it, the more I realize Apple’s Self-Service Repair program is the perfect way to make it look like the company supports right-to-repair policies without actually encouraging them at all. Apple can say it’s giving consumers access to everything, even the same tools its technicians use, while scaring them away with high prices, complexity, and the risk of losing a $1,200 deposit. This way, Apple gets credit for walking you through an 80-page repair, instead of building phones where — say — you don’t need to remove the phone’s most delicate components and two different types of security screws just to replace a battery.

> I don’t think Apple expects anyone to seriously take it up on the offer of self-service repair kits. It stacked the deck in favor of taking your phone to an Apple Store, where it can tempt you to buy something new instead. The real victory will come months or years down the road, though. That’s when Apple can tell legislators it tried to give right-to-repair advocates what they wanted — but that consumers overwhelmingly decided Apple knows best.

The whole tone of the article is clearly that it's absurd to rent these tools, and that the option to do so is a red herring.

[simonh]

Or alternatively it was absurd for hobbyist repairers to ask for these tools in the first place, and if they’re upset now when they are given what they asked for, maybe that’s on them, not Apple.

[Brian_K_White]

No one did ask for this.