The upcoming change in Apple’s repair policy, announced to coincide with Earth Day celebrations, introduces an eco-friendly shift by allowing the reuse of genuine Apple parts in repairs of select iPhone models.
John Ternus, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, highlighted the dual benefits of this policy shift: enhancing customer service while promoting sustainability.
He commented: “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.”
He further explained that Apple has been preparing for this initiative for two years, focusing on product design and manufacturing innovations that support the safe reuse of Apple parts.
The policy update also includes provisions for the reuse of biometric sensors, such as those used in Face ID and Touch ID systems.
Starting this fall, these sensors can be recalibrated on the device itself after installation, whether they are new or previously used. Future iPhone models will continue to support this feature, broadening the scope of parts that can be sustainably recycled and reused.
Moreover, Apple is simplifying the repair process by removing the requirement to provide a device’s serial number when ordering parts, except for logic board replacements. This change aims to streamline the repair experience for both customers and service providers using the Self Service Repair Store.
In an effort to safeguard against the misuse of stolen devices, Apple will enhance its Activation Lock feature to include individual iPhone parts.
This security measure is designed to prevent the reactivation of stolen iPhones and will restrict calibration functionalities if a part from a device marked with Activation Lock or in Lost Mode is detected during repairs.
This update is in response to both customer feedback and recommendations from law enforcement agencies.
