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iFixit CEO: Apple Is Putting Repair Guys Out Of Business
With each generation of iOS device that Apple has released over the past several years, the company has continued to make the devices less repairable.
On Thursday, iFixit founder and CEO Kyle Wiens spoke at the MacWorld Expo in San Francisco about the repairability of Apple’s iOS devices. He said the reason he built his company was because there is no official public information for servicing and repairing these devices.
The iFixit team will normally fly to Australia to get their hands on new Apple hardware as early as possible so they can perform their famous tear-downs and write a review about the new device.
Apple’s authorized technician certification is only valid for servicing Mac computers and is not valid for Apple’s iOS devices. Wiens said:
“They [Apple] have done everything they can to put these guys [third-party repairers] out of business.”
It is no surprise that the company wants its customers to bring their devices back to Apple if and when they break. Currently if your iOS device breaks or needs service, users would have to take them to an Apple Store and make an appointment with the folks at the Genius Bar.
iFixit offers major parts for fixing your iOS device, like a battery, screen, etc., along with complete repair guides, which are the best in the business, that show you how to repair your devices with ease. In most cases fixing an iOS device on your own would be too complicated and too risky.
Wiens ends the interview by saying:
“iPads are difficult to disassemble on purpose, the Surface Pro is impossible to take apart because Microsoft is incompetent.”
[via The Register]
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Could this be because the devices are getting smaller and not so much a slight on repair guys? A company that sells as much as Apple I find it hard to see them sitting in the boardroom saying “How can we make this more difficult for fix it people?”
IFixit has always griped about the massive amounts of glue and adhesive holding iOS devices together. There’s nothing like taking a jab at Apple to get free publicity.
They don’t want end-users tampering with the innards of their phones. They also make more money on the servicing side, by doing so.
I find it hard to believe that Apple is concerned with servicing … If anything one could argue that they make it so expensive to repair that it would entice one to purchase a new device. Having said that, I still believe it has more to do with the devices getting slimmer.
I don’t think they want anyone tampering with their phones in general, servicing or otherwise. There’s a reason why they use non-standard screws that requires a special driver only accessible to Apple store techs.
And Apple is the only one who uses ‘special screws’??
Plus torx screws aren’t all that ‘special’
Those aren’t ‘torx’ screws. They are Apple’s very own Pentalobe screws, which require a special driver. The driver obviously has been replicated, and iFixIt, etc sells them. Point is, they are security screws. If they didn’t care about security, they would of just used standard phillips screws.
And no other manufacture does this?
None that I know of. I know the S4 uses standard screws.
I’m sure there are several other companies using ‘special screws’ and that stretches beyond telecommunications.
RIght… and the reasoning behind those security screws brings it back to my original message, point.
I still believe that it has less to do with putting fix it people out of business and making money on servicing than to encourage people not to open them … What happens to the fix it people is just a byproduct.
No, this isn’t about devices getting small, but rather all the parts being covered in glue, which doesn’t improve durability, but only act to stop any kind of repair being done easily. Many of their old phones (Anything before the iPhone 4S) could be easily repaired and had much less glue. It seems possible that apple CAN manufacture a fixable phone, they just don’t want to.
And you have proof that they use more glue because they want to suppress repair company? Because over the years the phones have become a lot slimmer.
why did they change the phone standard screws then?
I’m guessing you’re the same person as the other one who just asked such a question of very old thread ….
Just by them changing the Philips type screws with a non standard “star” ones is evidence of such.
Torx screws or “star” are pretty standard among all electronic manufactures, not just Apple.
Cry me a river.
That’s what JT said too
Well, its true that iOS devices are hard to fix. I’ve fixed the sim slot on the s4 with ease while it took me a longer time and had to be extra careful to replace the battery on my iPhone 5
I agree that repair ability is inversely proportional to size of the device. It has nothing to do with repair men out if business. It’s a collateral damage that’s all. In me past 7 years of apple experience, I had no need for any repair
I may have visited apple store to return an it or two but no repairs. Also the warranties are well affordable , so who cares about repairs?
That is until, you drop the phone and break the Glass. Expect Apple to charge you at least 3x what a 3rd party repair company will charge.
“He said the reason he built his company was because there is no official public information for servicing and repairing these devices.”
He built his company to make money. Apple is currently preventing him from making as much money. Welcome to the future.
i hope u understand my curiosity about how do you make money and what is the revenue system when you service these devices. of course you do get a fair share of amount by selling the spare parts…but how do you make such huge annual turnover?
lets not talk about the advertising income. i really appreciate the system and i am interested to know about it