Beginning early next year, consumers will be able to purchase commonly replaced parts such as screens, cameras, and batteries, along with detailed repair manuals and required tools, from an online portal called the Apple Self Service Repair Online Store.
At the start, the list of options will include some 200 individual parts and tools, says Apple, but the company plans to expand on those offerings.
Apple confirmed to Consumer Reports that independent repair shops, which have had to rely on the grey market to obtain things like replacement screens, will now be able to purchase official parts and tools via the program. Apple also noted that it will provide a full price list for the parts and tools—one that matches the price list used by authorized repair centers.
The announcement of Self Service Repair comes six months after the Federal Trade Commission sent a report to Congress detailing the ways in which manufacturers make it difficult for consumers to repair their own devices, chiefly by limiting access to spare parts and tools like diagnostic software. The announcement also follows a July White House directive to the FTC to begin crafting right-to-repair regulations.