Comment by varenc | Hacker News Reader

Comment by varenc | Hacker News Reader

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Making repairs much easier is still a huge win.

We're also constantly moving the goalposts on Apple. The iPhone 11 had no public repair manuals and only special authorized repair centers could purchase genuine parts or perform the "System Configuration" pairing step.

With the iPhone 12, 13, and SE we suddenly we got public repair manuals[0] and public access to genuine parts[1]. The "System Configuration" step still exists, but it's accessible to anyone and requires chating[2] with Apple/SPOT (their self repair subcontractor).

Now the new iPhone 14 has been expensively re-engineered to make self repair easier. But you're saying because the same self-serve "System Configuration" step is required for some components it's all moot? Let's take a win when we get one. It could still be better, but the trend is definitely moving in the right direction.

edit: Also not all repairs require motherboard pairing step, albeit the most common ones do. But you can replace the iPhone SE camera, taptic engine, SIM tray, and speaker without any System Configuration step. See the the SE repair manual [0].

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[0] https://manuals.info.apple.com/MANUALS/2000/MA2049/en_US/iph...

[1] https://selfservicerepair.com/order

[2] https://selfservicerepair.com/support

I'm not moving goalposts at all. All I'd want is a way to get most of the parts from OEM & be able to install them. At the very least I'd expect to be able to swap: 1) Battery (consumable) 2) Front (LCD) 3) Back (either just the glass or the whole frame)

But we have to be honest with ourselves here: what good is it to have a repair manual when you cannot buy genuine parts? I mean yeah, this is a small-ish win, but it will not help to say it is "good enough". Sorry, but that is just not good enough.

The thing that pisses me the most is that I genuinely think that iPhones are amazing phones. They are quite nicely engineered and they easily could last you 5-8 years. Why put so much engineering effort to artificially cripple the device? Most of us will buy the new model anyway. And those who cannot (or don't want) should be able to keep theirs for as long as possible. It seems wastefull and unnecessary to fight it.

> what good is it to have a repair manual when you cannot buy genuine parts?

You can absolutely buy genuine parts for recent iPhones: https://selfservicerepair.com/order (that website looks random, but it's actually Apple's official self repair supplier)

Yes, the System Configuration step is still required to pair many of those parts. This has been discussed ad nauseum. Perspectives vary between it being a necessary security precaution and an entirely self-interested move by Apple to control their supply chain. I suspect the truth is somewhere in between.

I've never done the System Configuration step, but it requires chatting with a support agent and it sounds much easier than the repairs themselves. I absolutely agree things could still improve. But I also think we should recognize this new iPhone 14 re-design as a huge improvement that shows a promising trend.

The last time I tried it I had to put in the SN of the device I wanted to repair in advance to get the part. Maybe they fixed it from then, have not checked.

If you cannot get parts in stock (meaning in advance), you might as well send it to the Apple and not bother with repair shop at all. I also think this is the main reason for making it like that. Display, battery and vibration motor has absolutely no security implications.

I would be very happy to see Apple not screwing with individual repair shops. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of their HW (be it iPhones or MBPs). But I'm not a fanboy and I'm not going to bend backwards to praise this corporate entity when it is not deserved. If you compare the ease of getting part for Samsung and Apple, it is like night and day.

That System Configuration step is also a middle finger. Having to chat with some support agent just for changing a consumable item like a battery? Or a vibration motor? What the actual f?

edit: Checked and they still want the SN of a target device before selling you anything - even a battery! From the site: The serial number is required and will be shared with Apple. This number must be from the device that is being repaired or you may encounter issues that prevent the completion of the repair.

Yeah, thanks but no thanks.

Why are you upset about giving Apple the serial number of your device?

???

Please read the thread (shrug emoji).

All I’ve found is that you don’t like the idea, not why

> If you cannot get parts in stock (meaning in advance), you might as well send it to the Apple and not bother with repair shop at all.

Because that idea is BS, designed just to block 3rd party repair shops from doing quick repairs leaving you with the same (or worse) level of service that Apple itself offers.

Why on Earth would anyone need to provide SN of the phone to buy consumable such as battery? Makes no sense at all. Even the display is stupid because most of the time people come to the repair shop is because Apple takes 2 weeks & wipes data from device. Which is kinda problem for many people since they often don't have another $$$ for spare phone and also forgot to backup.

Almost any other vendor lets you buy parts such as LCD or battery and just swap it. And for most of the phones you can do that kind of work in under an hour.

> because Apple takes 2 weeks & wipes data from device

They don’t. It’s a 30 minute repair with no wipe necessary.

You're talking to someone who has personal experience at having to send the phone in and wait two weeks. Unless you think they're lying?

They are lying if they are claiming it’s the general case, which is how they phrased it, so yes.

Judge for yourself: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32916346

Okay. I judge that they are probably telling the truth and you are being an ass about it.

Amusing but silly. They are obviously lying.

You can’t seriously believe they are afraid of naming an Apple Store. If the store existed and they named it, then I’d look like a complete asshole.

I wouldn't tell you where I live just to prove there's no convenient Apple Store.

As I said somewhere else, it probably depends on your location.

This also applies not only to the battery replacement but for screen as well. I've had to do that also and it also was not a 30 minute repair unfortunately. If it was, I would be quite happy and would not be so frustrated over this stuff.

So you knew it’s not the general case, and yet you said it anyway.

In my location it is a general case. What is your point?

Is it? That honestly doesn’t seem remotely credible.

You are claiming that there is a ‘location’ where Apple themselves in general need to send off a phone for a battery replacement, one of the most common repairs.

Which Apple Store was that? Where is it located? We can easily enough ask them what the general turnaround time for a battery replacement is.

Yes, it is. For both batteries and displays - across many different ocasions over the years. Unfortunately. That's why I let company I work for to buy me some nice repair equipment so I can atleast extract the data & do some things by myself.

Are you an actual Apple employee with some power to help me (or help the situation in general)? If so I'd be really glad and more than willing to share all my information with you! Let me know. We buy Apple products worth roughly ~$10-30k every year depending on the stuff we are getting so I'm afraid that we are not that big to be interesting by ourselves but we are certainly bigger than 3 iPhones a year :-)

I'd be the first person to actually celebrate having some official way to either repair my stuff or at the very least a way to get genuine parts without having to jump through multiple artificial hoops designed just to piss me off.

If it’s a real location with a real Apple Store, why can’t you name it?

I can but unless you can help me, what's the point? Just to convince you? I have no vested interest in Apple - emotional or financial and thus I have no interest in fighting for (or against) Apple (or Android) fans.

By your own indirect admission you cannot change anything so why bother? I don't really care if you personally believe me or not. Sorry.

I think the point is that you’ve publicly claimed that this location exists and used it as part of an argument against Apple, but when asked to name it, you can’t.

An honest person would have no reason to hide the location. I think it’s fairly clear that you’ve been caught in a lie.

The good ol' "If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear".

Your offer is that I should disclose information about my whereabouts so you can do nothing to help me. Well thank you for this opportunity but I think I will politely decline. :-D

As I said earlier: If you cannot help me at all, I have no interest in proving anything to you. Sorry.

> The good ol' "If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear".

Are you afraid that some harm will come to you if you name an Apple Store that was slow to repair a phone?

Nobody is asking you to disclose your whereabouts. Just tell us which Apple Store took 2 weeks to repair a phone, if indeed there is one.

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