Apple has started developing thinner OLED panels that could be used for foldable displays in the future, a new report out of Korea suggests.
According to The Elec, Apple is developing OLED panels without polarizers, which are typically included to allow only lights in certain directions to pass through, thereby improving the visibility of the display.
One drawback of polarizer films is that they tend to reduce brightness and, in turn, the luminance efficiency of the panel. To offset this, manufacturers usually increase the power consumption delivered to the panel, but this can reduce their lifespan.
By removing the polarizer, Apple will be able to make the panels significantly thinner, making them more optimal for foldable panels, claims the report, citing supply chain sources. Apple could also theoretically apply different technology with an equivalent effect to that of a polarizer but which avoids the aforementioned trade-offs.
Samsung has already utilized OLED panels without polarizers for the Galaxy Z Fold 3, according to The Elec, incorporating its "Eco Square" technology which increases light transmittance while reducing power consumption.
A report from The Elec last month claimed Apple is working with LG to develop a foldable OLED display panel with ultra-thin cover glass for future iPad and MacBook models, although in that instance the website said the panel that would be used would incorporate an ultra-thin cover glass instead of polyimide, which most other foldable displays currently use.
A recent report from display analyst Ross Young said that Apple is exploring all-screen foldable notebooks with displays around 20-inches in size. Young believes these devices could form a whole new product category for Apple and result in a dual-use product, potentially able to work as a notebook with a full-size on-screen keyboard when folded and as a monitor when unfolded and used with an external keyboard.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also believes Apple is testing a device with a 9-inch foldable OLED display with a PPI somewhere between the iPhone and iPad. Kuo believes that Apple's foldable product development is initially focusing on medium-sized devices, followed by devices with larger displays, before finally expanding to small devices like the iPhone.
Under its SanDisk brand, Western Digital today introduced a new SanDisk Professional PRO-BLADE Modular SSD Ecosystem, which is aimed at creators who need fast portable storage devices that are capable of holding terabytes of data.
The system includes the PRO-BLADE SSD mag, the PRO-BLADE Portable SSD enclosure, and the PRO-BLADE Desktop SSD enclosure. The PRO-BLADE SSD mag is an NVMe SSD mag that comes in sizes that include 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB, with prices ranging from $180 to $600. The PRO-BLADE SSD mags offer three meter drop protection and 4,000 lbs crush resistance.
SanDisk's Pro-BLADE Transport Portable USB-C SSD enclosure holds one of the PRO-BLADE mags for on-the-go usage. It supports read/write speeds of up to 2000MB/s over USB-C, and it's simple to swap between mags when using the enclosure with a USB-C compatible camera. The SSD enclosure is priced at $70, and there are also bundles that include one of the PRO-BLADE mags priced starting at $240.
For desktop workstations, SanDisk is also introducing the Thunderbolt 3 PRO-BLADE Station Desktop SSD enclosure, which is able to accommodate four PRO-BLADE SSD mags. As it has a 40Gb/s Thunderbolt interface, the PRO-BLADE Station supports faster transfer speeds than the portable SSD enclosure. According to SanDisk, the PRO-BLADE Station and PRO-BLADE SSDs allow for real-time 4K/8K/12K editing and super fast copying.
The PRO-BLADE SSDs and portable SSD enclosure will be available in June 2022, while the desktop enclosure is set to be introduced in the fall.
Western Digital also introduced faster speeds for the SanDisk Extreme Pro memory card lineup, with support for up to 200MB/s. Western Digital says that these are the fastest UHS-I SD and microSD memory cards in the world, with the updated cards set to ship in June, with pricing that starts at $20.
Apple's senior vice president of services Eddy Cue is working to restructure services management with the aim of focusing more on streaming and advertising, according to a new report from Business Insider.
Cue sees streaming and advertising as areas where there is opportunity for revenue growth, and he has already begun updating the responsibilities of key services executives. Peter Stern, Apple's vice president of services, is no longer handling advertising, giving him more time to focus on video, news, books, iCloud, Fitness+, and Apple One.
Todd Teresi, an advertising vice president at Apple, will instead be taking on more responsibility and has been reporting directly to Cue since the beginning of the year. One of the sources who spoke to Business Insider said that Apple's ad business is now "big enough to live on its own."
Apple recently acquired the rights to Friday Night Baseball after establishing a deal with Major League Baseball, and part of its effort to expand streaming services will include additional sports deals. Rumors indicate that Apple is working to secure the rights to NFL's Sunday Ticket package, and Business Insider says that Apple also wants to get the rights to air NBA games.
Sports content would draw in new viewership for Apple TV+, which Apple has been working to build up since its 2019 launch. Apple still has a limited amount of original content compared to other streaming services, and it is unable to draw the same subscriber numbers as Hulu, Netflix, and Disney+.
Services revenue has been growing steadily over the course of the last several years, and the services category now encompasses Apple TV+, iCloud, Apple Fitness+, Apple News+, Apple Music, the App Store, Apple Care+, Apple Arcade, Apple Pay, and more.
In the second quarter of 2022, services brought in $19.8 billion, from $17 billion in the year-ago quarter.
Along with focusing on streaming and advertising, Apple also has plans to introduce new services. There are rumors of a hardware subscription service, and Apple Pay is expanding to include a buy now, pay later feature. Over the weekend, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple has even explored an Instacart-like service that would integrate with nutrition data in the Health app.
Apple engineers in China have taken on greater responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, as travel restrictions and lockdowns have prevented Apple from sending as many U.S. engineers to the country as it normally would, according to The Wall Street Journal.
While key matters like product design are still handled at Apple's headquarters in California, the report claims that Apple has gradually given its China-based engineers more authority to resolve problems, with less input from U.S. employees.
For instance, instead of sending product- and assembly-related information from China to Cupertino for a decision, engineers in China would also include their analysis. And China-based engineers who in the past generally would have reported problems to Cupertino would instead send proposals for resolving the problem, the people said.
The report adds that Apple has used video calling to remotely communicate with Chinese employees to resolve factory issues and more, in an effort to keep pace with its annual product cycles, including new iPhone models each year.
China has imposed strict restrictions and/or lockdowns in cities like Shanghai, Beijing, and Zhengzhou in recent weeks. Last month, Apple warned that its June quarter revenue would be impacted by a number of factors, including supply constraints caused by COVID-related disruptions and industrywide silicon shortages. Apple said it expected those constraints to result in a $4 billion to $8 billion impact on revenue for the quarter.
The disruptions have resulted in lengthy shipping estimates for several Apple products, such as the MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and more.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Today we're tracking a pair of sales offered by ZAGG and Verizon, with a focus on Apple-compatible accessories like iPhone cases, wireless chargers, portable batteries, and more.
ZAGG
ZAGG is offering 25 percent off select gear today, including wireless chargers, screen protectors, iPhone cases, portable batteries, battery cases, iPad keyboards, and much more. You can browse the full sale (which also includes Mophie products) and add any item to your cart to automatically see the 25 percent discount applied at the checkout screen.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Specifically, ZAGG's deal allows 25 percent off up to three products on its website, and it excludes already-discounted items. The sale will last through tonight at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time.
Verizon
At Verizon, you can save up to 50 percent on a variety of Apple's first party cases for the newest iPhones. Prices start as low as $24.99 for iPhone 13 mini Silicone Cases, and also cover accessories for the iPhone 13 Pro in Silicone and Leather options.
There are plenty of other products on sale on Verizon as well, including cases made by OtterBox and Nomad, charging accessories, and iPhone 12 cases. Browse the full sale by heading to this landing page and keeping an eye out for products with black banners.
Developers are now able to enter a lottery to attend a WWDC 2022 viewing party at Apple Park, with Apple now accepting entries through its developer website.
Apple is inviting a small number of developers to the Apple Park campus to watch the WWDC 2022 keynote and Platforms State of the Union on Monday, June 6.
We're hosting a special all-day experience at Apple Park on June 6 to kick off WWDC22. Gather with others in the developer community to watch the keynote and State of the Union videos alongside Apple engineers and experts, explore the all-new Developer Center, and so much more. We can't wait to connect in person.
Apple says that it will be an all-day experience at Apple Park, with developers also be invited to explore the new Developer Center that Apple has built. Apple last year said that it was building a dedicated Developer Center on the Apple Park campus, though few details have been provided about it.
The Apple Park event is free, and all members of the Apple Developer Program and Apple Developer Enterprise Program can apply to attend. Invitations will be allocated through a random selection process and cannot be transferred.
Submissions will be accepted from Monday, May 9 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through Wednesday, May 11 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Developers will be notified of their status by Friday, May 12 at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 range of smartphones depreciated almost three times more than the iPhone 13 lineup in the first two months after launch, according to research by SellCell.
Samsung announced the Galaxy S22 range in February this year, almost five months after the launch of Apple's iPhone 13 lineup. Just two months after launch, the S22 lineup as a whole lost 46.8 percent of its value. The Google Pixel 6 did not fare much better, losing 41.5 percent of its value two months after launch. In both cases, this is a considerable depreciation compared to the iPhone 13 models, which lost just 16.8 percent of their value two months after launch. The Galaxy S22 is also the only smartphone lineup to continually lose value, experiencing no value recovery after launch, unlike the iPhone and the Pixel.
The 128GB Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G was the poorest performing model in terms of value retention, losing 53.8 percent of its value by month two, and the 128GB Pixel 6 Pro lost 44.2 percent of its value. On the other hand, the worst performing iPhone model was the 128GB iPhone 13 mini, which lost 29.2 percent of its value by month two.
The best performing Samsung model was the 128GB Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G, with a loss of 41.7 percent two months after launch, and this was again beaten by the 128GB Pixel 6 with a loss of 33.1 percent. The best performing iPhone model, the 128GB iPhone 13 Pro Max, lost a diminutive 3.8 percent of its value in that timeframe.
SellCell's findings demonstrate that Android handsets still have some way to go in terms of long-term value retention compared to the iPhone, with similar studies published on an annual basis. See the full report for more detailed information.
BMW is temporarily shipping new cars without Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality due to the automaker changing its chip supplier (via Automotive News Europe).
The new chips built into many BMWs manufactured this year require updated software to be able to run Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. BMW customers who receive a new car without CarPlay are being asked by dealerships to wait for an over-the-air update that will enable the functionality "by the end of June at the latest."
It is not clear how many BMW models are affected, but a large number of customers in the U.S., Italy, Spain, the UK, and France have posted online about their new vehicles being delivered without CarPlay. Affected models include the code "6P1" in their specification.
While some BMW owners will have to miss out on CarPlay functionality for a temporary period, BMW is switching chip suppliers to strengthen its supply chain in the long term amid the continued impact of the global chip shortage, which could reduce component shortages in the second half of the year.
The 32GB Apple TV 4K has dropped to $149.99 this week on Amazon, down from $179.00. To date, this is the best price we've ever seen on Amazon for this version of the 2021 Apple TV 4K, and it's in stock now with delivery as soon as this weekend for many places in the United States.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apple introduced the new Apple TV 4K last year, and it comes with the all-new Siri Remote, the A12 Bionic chip, and more. For more storage, the 64GB version is also on sale, priced at $189.98, down from $199.00.
You can keep track of Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD deals in our dedicated guide. Additionally, head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.
Former Apple design chief Jony Ive, who still partners with Apple on products, has revealed his 12 must-have design tools for making, marking, measuring, and carrying with him every day.
The list appears in a special issue of Financial Times' "How to Spend It" magazine (paywalled), of which Ive is guest editor, and the designer uses the opportunity to put the focus on his obsession with "making."
Depth gauge — Starrett 440Z-3RL depth micrometer, $355 Weather station — Wempe Navigator II ship’s clock and weather station, $1,960
Ive doesn't offer any explanation for what makes the list or what specific products they helped him design, but in a separate piece in which Ive and fellow LoveFrom designer Marc Newson talk about the equipment in their Cotswolds workshop, he opines:
"There's a beauty and a joy in the machines and tools. They are no longer solely a means to an end. I think there's an inherent elegance in an effective tool that normally results in a curious beauty."
Later in the conversation, Ive recalls how Newson helped him through the challenges he faced working on the Apple Watch, and how he "really struggled" with the physical design.
I do think our work on the Apple Watch together speaks to a joyful and effective collaboration at a particularly difficult time. I had felt so strongly that there was an important opportunity to create a very personal and useful product that could be worn on the wrist. I spent a lot of time wrestling with the big founding ideas and the fundamental issues of interface but had somehow assumed that the work on the actual object would be fairly straightforward.
When the basic architecture of the idea was defined, I really struggled with the physical design. It was from that place of struggle that I asked you to help. While it was humbling for me, I think we got to the final design quickly together. We are proud of the work. I always hope to achieve that sense of inevitability, that simplicity where there doesn’t really appear to be a rational alternative.
Ive co-founded LoveFrom with Newson in 2019 after leaving his position at Apple. At the time, the tech giant said it would remain one of Ive's primary clients, but which Apple products he has helped to design since then is unknown. Apple said Ive was involved in the design of the colorful 24-inch iMac released in April, but it's not clear if that work occurred after Ive left the company.
It remains unclear how many employees work for LoveFrom, but Ive recruited at least four of his former Apple colleagues to work with him at the firm, including Wan Si, Chris Wilson, Patch Kessler, and Jeff Tiller.
Apple CarPlay is now available for Tesla vehicles – but only for owners willing to resort to a workaround that uses a connected Raspberry Pi.
In the face of Tesla's apparent indifference to repeated calls to bring CarPlay to its automobiles, Polish developer Michał Gapiński demoed his success in bringing Apple's in-car system to his Tesla Model 3 earlier this year. As noted by Tesla North, after six months of work, Gapiński has now released the first publicly available alpha version of "Tesla Android" on Github for others to download and try.
The workaround involves using a Rasberry Pi with an LTE modem and a Wi-Fi access point, running a custom Android-based firmware, as well as a micro-HDMI to HDMI cable and Ethernet cable. As demonstrated in a YouTube video, the in-car browser is used to connect to the Rasberry Pi and display the CarPlay interface on the Tesla's screen, where Apple apps including Maps and Apple Music function as expected. The system works while driving, and can also be controlled with the media buttons on the Tesla's steering wheel.
Gapiński says the main objective of the latest alpha release was usability. "For the project to scale and become popular in the Tesla community it needs to provide a responsive Android experience. Otherwise, people won't use it," he says on his Tesla Android Project website.
"Right now the focus is starting to shift towards better integration and simplification," continues Gapiński. "Dropping the two boards requirement will help in reducing both cost and entry barrier by reducing the install guide to something that can be done in a matter of minutes."
Despite the preponderance of CarPlay on many other electric cars, Tesla does not offer official support. Hints in 2020 that Tesla was planning to support Apple Music never came to fruition, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk doesn't seem to respond to requests on Twitter for the company to bring CarPlay to its vehicles, despite it being one of the most-requested features among Tesla owners.
Apple supplier Quanta's ability to manufacture MacBook Pro models at its Shanghai site remains seriously hampered despite the easing of lockdowns and resumption of production, reports DigiTimes.
According to the Taiwan-based supply chain website, Quanta has so far only been able to restore around 30% production capacity at its Shanghai site since lockdowns ended last month.
Quanta is the sole assembler of Apple's 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros and the machines are primarily made at the ODM's Shanghai plant. Quanta vice chairman CC Leung on April 30 pointed out that the company's Shanghai plant has restored around 30% of its capacity and is eyeing to raise the percentage to 50% gradually.
The report says many downstream assemblers are likely to have already resumed their production lines, but many still face insufficient supplies of components for the same reason.
Apple customers have been facing unusually protracted delivery times for several weeks due to limited production capacity caused by lockdowns and chip shortages. On Apple's online store in the U.S., all pre-configured purchase options for the 14-inch MacBook Pro and the 16-inch MacBook Pro currently show a delivery estimate of June 29 - July 14.
The same dates apply to the Mac Studio (20-Core/48-Core CPU/GPU), although the 10-Core/24-Core CPU/GPU configuration fares slightly better with a May 17 - May 24 delivery window. Availability for the MacBook Air, 24-inch iMac, and Mac mini are currently unaffected by the constraints, while Mac Pro depends on configuration options, but some do run into June.
According to DigiTimes, Apple has already switched its transportation from marine to air to shorten the shipment schedules in the face of disrupted logistics in China, but only a limited number of shipments have moved to air transportation, which is causing the current shortages.
Apple last month said that lockdown disruptions in China and silicon shortages will continue to make it difficult to make enough product to satisfy strong consumer demand as the year progresses, and this will ultimately affect Apple's June quarter revenue.
Apple is planning to introduce several improvements for Apple Fitness+ and Apple Pay this year, and has explored offering an all-new groceries service that integrates with the Health app, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman outlined his expectations for new Apple services this year. Two finance-related Apple services are purportedly in development, including a hardware subscription program and a "buy now, pay later" service for Apple Pay transactions, designed to allow customers to pay for Apple Pay purchases in installments over time, rivalling existing services like Klarna.
Last month, Gurman explained that the hardware subscription program would allow customers to pay a monthly fee and gain access to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac for the duration of the subscription. Apple is said to be aiming to make the process of buying an iPhone or an iPad "on par" with purchasing iCloud storage or paying for an Apple Music subscription, with customers able to subscribe to hardware with their Apple ID and App Store account.
The service is rumored to be Apple's "biggest push yet" into recurring sales, and while it has been working on hardware subscriptions for months, it was apparently pushed back to focus on the "buy now, pay later" Apple Pay service. Gurman claims that Apple is working to implement hardware subscriptions by the end of 2022, but it potentially could be delayed to 2023 or canceled entirely.
Moreover, Apple is reportedly planning to add new workout types to Apple Fitness+ with iOS 16 later this year. In addition, Apple is said to have explored offering an "Instacart-like service that integrates with nutrition data in the Health app." Gurman noted that the service sounds potentially complex to implement and "fairly low-margin." He added that he is also hoping for substantial upgrades to Apple TV+ this year.
Expansion of Apple's range of services have been a topic of speculation for some analysts, with Loup Ventures suggesting that Apple could offer "Podcasts+," "Stocks+," "Mail+," and "Health+" in the future.
Apple is planning to release the second-generation AirPods Pro this fall, rumored to feature a new design, improved audio quality, and some possible health integration, according to Bloomberg'sMark Gurman.
Look out for new AirPods Pro in the fall. The current model has been on the market since fall of 2019, so the batteries are already probably in trouble for some early adopters. Also look out for an AirPods Max refresh with new colors (and, we hope, a price drop—$550 is absurd for those headphones).
The AirPods Pro have not been refreshed since their launch in 2019, and multiple rumors have suggested a launch this year. Gurman's claim of a fall launch lines up with information previously shared by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said a launch would occur in the second half of the year. The new AirPods Pro could feature a more compact design that sees away with the stem, coupled with a new charging case and lossless audio support over a new protocol.
As for the AirPods Max, Apple is not expected to be working on a second-generation model of the over-ear headphones that launched in December 2020. Instead, Apple is thought to be working on new color options. Today, Gurman said that the new colors are still being worked on but stopped short of offering a timeline for when they could launch.
Goodfellow reportedly broke the news to staff in an email, saying his resignation is in part due to Apple's plan to return to in-person work, which required employees to work from the office at least one day per week by April 11, at least two days per week by May 2, and at least three days per week by May 23. "I believe strongly that more flexibility would have been the best policy for my team," Goodfellow said in the email.
Apple employees began returning to Apple Park last month, with the three-day in-office work policy being enacted on May 23. Some employees have been unhappy about the plan to return to in-person work.
In a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook during the summer, a group of employees said "Without the inclusivity that flexibility brings, many of us feel we have to choose between either a combination of our families, our well-being, and being empowered to do our best work, or being a part of Apple. This is a decision none of us take lightly, and a decision many would prefer not to have to make."
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
We're only a month away from WWDC, and excitement is building with Apple preparing to open up a lottery for a limited number of developer spots to attend a viewing at Apple Park.
This week, we also got a chance to try out Apple's new Self Service Repair program for ourselves, while we heard rumors about the Apple Watch Series 8, got a closer look inside Jony Ive's departure from Apple, and more, so read on below for all of the details on these stories and more!
Testing Out Apple's Self Repair Program With an iPhone 12 Mini Battery Fix
Apple recently launched its Self Service Repair program in the United States, starting with iPhone 12 models, iPhone 13 models, and the third-generation iPhone SE. As part of the program, Apple offers select iPhone parts, tools, and manuals to customers to complete repairs.
We were curious how the Self Service Repair program works and how it compares to the simplicity of bringing a product in to Apple for repair, so we had MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera order a repair kit to replace the battery inside an iPhone 12 mini.
As someone unfamiliar with repairing iPhones, Dan described the process as a "big mistake" — watch the video to find out why.
Apple Watch Series 8 May Feature Body Temperature Sensor
Kuo said the body temperature sensor was originally planned for the Apple Watch Series 7 last year, but Apple allegedly postponed the feature during development due to the algorithms being unsatisfactory.
Developers Can Apply for Chance to Watch WWDC 2022 Keynote at Apple Park Starting May 9
As the default Windows 11 browser, the popularity of Edge has crept up in recent months, allowing it to surpass Safari in usage as of April 2022. The rankings represent desktop browser usage only, with mobile browsers excluded.
'After Steve' Examines the Tensions That Led to Jony Ive's Departure From Apple
Tony Fadell, a former Apple executive who led the teams that created the original iPod and iPhone, also released a book this week titled "Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making."
MacRumors Newsletter
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
Last May, Apple Apple announced that it would be merging its iCloud Documents and Data service into iCloud Drive in May of 2022, and that transition has now been completed.
As noted in a support document updated today, users who previously relied on iCloud Documents and Data for syncing files across devices will need to turn iCloud Drive on in order to see their files.
iCloud Documents and Data, our legacy document syncing service, has been discontinued and replaced by iCloud Drive. If you used iCloud Documents and Data, your account has been migrated to iCloud Drive.
If you used the iCloud Documents and Data service, you need to turn on iCloud Drive to see your files. When you switch to iCloud Drive, the amount of storage space your saved files use in iCloud doesn't change.
Apple's support document provides instructions and minimum system requirements for iCloud Drive on iOS devices, Macs, and on the web at iCloud.com.
The vast majority of iCloud users already have iCloud Drive enabled, so they won't see any changes. But for users who had iCloud accounts prior to the introduction of iCloud Drive in 2014 and never enabled it, perhaps to maintain compatibility with pre-iOS 8 and pre-OS X Yosemite devices that couldn't support iCloud Drive, they will now need to turn it on in order to regain access to their files.
The older iCloud Documents and Data service kept cloud-synced data stored in folders specific to a given app, only allowing access to the data from that app. With iCloud Drive being a more full-featured syncing service, all of those files can now be accessed from a single location: the Files app on iOS and iPadOS, the iCloud Drive section of Finder on macOS, or the iCloud Drive section of iCloud.com.
Apple in April 2022 launched a Self Service Repair program for the iPhone, which is designed to allow Apple device owners to do their own repairs in their homes using Apple parts, repair manuals, and tools.
In this guide, we walk through everything you need to know about the Self Repair program, including whether it's worth it to use over alternative repair options.
Devices That Can Be Self Repaired
At the current time, the Self Service Repair program covers several recent iPhone generations, including the iPhone 12 models, iPhone 13 models, and the 2022 iPhone SE. A full list of covered iPhone models is below:
Select Mac laptops including the M1MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2020 and the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models from 2021 are also included in supported countries, while support for the 2021 24-inch iMac, 2020 Mac mini, and 2022 Mac Studio, as well as the Apple Studio Display is limited to the United States at the current time.
Initiating a Repair
The first step in initiating a repair is to check out the repair manual for the device that you want to repair in order to get an idea of what it entails. You'll need to skim through it to get the repair manual code that's inside, which is the next step of the repair process.
After reviewing the manual, you can visit the Self Service Repair Store to input the device that you want to repair and the component that needs repairing. Apple will show you the repair parts and tools that you need for the repair, along with pricing information.
You can add the components that you need to the cart on the website and check out to get them shipped directly to you. Note that almost all of the repairs require specialized tools that you can purchase individually or rent from Apple in a toolkit for $49.
Note that the repair store is not operated by Apple and is instead run by a third-party provider, SPOT.
Accessing Repair Manuals
To get to a repair manual, you just need to visit Apple's Self Service Repair website. From there, click on the "Apple Repair Manuals" link under "Support." You can also click below to get directly to the manual that you're looking for. Note that all of the links are PDFs on Apple's site.
Each repair manual explains how the repair process works and it walks through the parts that are available for purchase. Repair manuals include details on how to set up for a repair, the steps required, and what to do if something goes wrong.
Components That Can Be Repaired
Apple's manuals, tools, and components are available for the following repairs for each iPhone:
Battery
Bottom speaker and rubber gasket
Camera and cowling
Display and adhesive
Security screws
SIM tray
Taptic Engine
Upper and lower cowlings
If another iPhone component is broken, it is not able to be self repaired and will need to be taken to an Apple Store, Apple Authorized Service Provider, or an independent repair shop.
Supported Mac models include several dozen parts that can be replaced, including casings, fans, speakers, circuit boards, display, sensors, trackpad, and more.
Tool Kit Rentals
Almost all of the repairs require specialized tools designed by Apple, and they can be obtained through renting one of Apple's repair kits. Repair kits are $49 to rent, but you have to put down a ~$1,200 deposit to ensure you return the repair kit.
You have seven days with the repair kit, after which it must be returned to Apple through UPS. When a tool kit is first rented, Apple charges an authorization fee that will disappear once the kit is returned. Apple says that users will be charged for any missing or damaged tools.
A repair kit that includes nearly all of the tools that you need sounds convenient, but the one for iPhone models comes in two parts that are heavy and unwieldy. The first part of the kit weighs in at 43 pounds, and the second part of the kit weighs in at 36 pounds, for a total of 79 pounds. These kits are so heavy that Apple offers tips for lifting them on the repair website:
Think before you lift. Size up the object, if it is too bulky get help!
Plan the lift. Know where you are going and have a clear path.
Stack the smaller case on the larger, extend the handle and roll versus carrying the two cases.
Balance the load you are carrying between both hands.
Have a good base of support - spread your feet apart shoulder width or more.
Bend with your knees and hips, and keep your head up.
Feet first. Turn with your feet not your torso.
Take your time.
Stacked together, the kits are 20 inches wide and 47 inches high, but they do include a wheeled case for transportation. Each kit includes a battery press, a display press, a heated display removal fixture, a repair tray, adhesive cutter, protective covers, and torque drivers, with a full list available on the Self Service Repair website.
Tool kits are customized for each Apple device model, and it's worth noting that there are some parts that you will need to purchase separately as not all tools are included. Most of the tools that are not included may be items you have at home or can purchase inexpensively at repair or hardware stores.
Mac tool kits are generally significantly smaller and lighter in the range of 4–8 pounds, although the MacBook Air kit weighs in at nearly 40 pounds largely due to the inclusion of a display press.
Tool Purchases
The Self Service Repair Store offers hundreds of parts and tools that can be purchased on a standalone basis for iPhone and Mac repairs. You do not have to use one of Apple's rental kits that are outlined above, and you can instead purchase each tool you might need.
That will get expensive, though, because some of Apple's proprietary repair tools are pricey. Some of the sample prices for iPhone tools are below, with many of these tools required for each repair.
If you are planning to do multiple repairs it may be worth purchasing each component piecemeal, but for a one-off repair, it's much more affordable to rent a kit.
Repair Pricing
When taking into account the $49 rental fee of Apple's toolkit, repair pricing is in some cases more expensive than simply taking a device to Apple for repair.
Here are a list of repair prices for the iPhone 13 as an example, with the repair kit rental price included. Each of of these is calculated using the repair component bundle that Apple recommends. Apple does give a discount for sending replaced components in for recycling, so that is also included in the pricing.
Battery Repair - $95.84
Speaker Repair - $92.64
Camera Repair - $113.54
Display Repair - $285.35
SIM Tray - $7.20 (No repair kit required)
Taptic Engine - $92.64
Note that this pricing does not take into account the effort of returning the repair kit, plus it requires the replaced components to be shipped back to Apple. It also does not factor in the time spent doing the repair, which can be lengthy for those who are new to repairs.
Comparatively, it costs $69 to have Apple replace an iPhone 13 battery out of warranty, so it is not worth it to do a battery replacement on your own. Likewise, it costs $279 to get a broken screen replaced by Apple even if you don't have a warranty, which is cheaper than the self repair.
For other repairs, you may save some money based on Apple's out of warranty repair/replacement costs. Non battery and display repairs are priced at $449 for the iPhone 13. Of course, this repair price is the price that Apple sets, and Apple Authorized Service Providers may charge less.
If you have AppleCare+, there is no reason to even consider a self repair because every repair is $99 or under.
Repair Requirements
Apple does not allow you to order any old repair part you want -- all repair purchases are tied to a specific iPhone or Mac. When creating a new order, you need to provide either a serial number or an IMEI from your device that you're repairing.
The serial number of the device must match the part you're ordering. So, for example, if you want to purchase an iPhone 13 display bundle, you need an iPhone 13 serial number or IMEI. This essentially restricts repairs to device owners and does not allow for independent repair shops to bulk order parts from Apple.
After installation, many of the repairs require you to get in touch with Apple to verify the part through a System Configuration process.
Returning Parts for Recycling
After you've completed a repair, the components that you've removed may be able to be sent back to Apple. If that's the case, and Apple is able to use those components, you can get a small discount on the cost of your repair.
With an iPhone 13 battery repair, for example, you can get $24.15 back in credit after sending in your old battery, which drops the price of the repair components to $46.84 (plus the $49 for a toolkit).
The Self Repair Experience vs. Apple Repairs
We tested out the repair process with an iPhone 12 mini battery replacement, and found that it was difficult for a person with no repair experience to complete. It was an involved and time-consuming process that took nearly a full day and required tools that even Apple didn't provide in its toolkit.
At the end of the repair, it turned out to be more expensive than having Apple do the battery replacement, and overall, it was not worth the time and money invested. Make sure to check out the video up above for a full overview.
Some repairs, such as those for the camera and the Taptic Engine may be worth it because you can save some money based on what it costs to get those repairs from Apple, but make sure to thoroughly read the repair manual ahead of time to know what you're getting into. For most repairs, it is going to be easiest to get in contact with an Apple retail store, an Apple Authorized Service Provider, or an independent repair shop that uses Apple components to get your device fixed.
Supported Countries
The Self Service Repair program is available in the United States for all supported products, and in late 2022 it was expanded to a number of European countries including Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Device support in those countries is, however, limited to iPhone and Mac laptop models.
Future Expansion
In the future, Apple plans to expand the Self Service Repair program to additional devices and countries.
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