Right to repair is a movement that’s fiercely fought for by independent repair specialists for years now; it challenges the anti-consumerism practices of certain big-name companies that make it difficult for users to get affordable repairs for their devices.
A frequent antagonist in this plot against big corps is Apple – a common practice that’s constantly brought up during debates is the ability to repair iPhone displays. Only Apple-authorised technicians, who have specialised software and tools provided by the brand, can replace panels without users losing the ability to use Face ID – but this always comes at a relatively high cost.
There’s a chip under the hood that syncs with the phone’s serial number – this makes life difficult for lesser-equipped, and lesser-skilled independent technicians.
Image credit: Tom’s Guide
New developments in the arena suggest that Apple are finally showing signs of cracking as they’ll soon launch a software that allows iPhone 13 displays to be replaced via DIY methods. It would allow Face ID to still work and let consumers get their cracked panels replaced at more affordable prices.
There’s no word on when this software will be rolled out, but watch this space as we bring you more updates in due time.