Up until today, on the unfortunate occasion that a Mac user broke their computer, they could only get them fixed at either the Apple Store or any authorized warranty service provider using parts directly from Apple.
For many reasons, this is inconvenient, but most of the complaints came from right-to-repair schemes, according to Reuters, who criticized Apple for “only providing genuine parts and training manuals to firms such as Best Buy Inc. that were to do warranty-related work on its devices, [and] smaller shops argued that program was too costly to join due to volume commitments”.
However, as of Monday, August 17th, Apple has extended its independent repair shop scheme beyond just iPhones (which are the company’s best selling product) to Mac computers, too.
First rolled out in the USA, the independent repair shop scheme saw Apple selling parts and providing free training courses to independent shops and businesses. The scheme is now active in over 32 countries and 140 businesses in total, spanning over 700 locations.
The move is likely because Apple saw an uptick of 21.6% in quarterly Mac sales to $7 billion last month, as many employees shifted to working from home.
In a statement, Apple’s chief operating officer, Jeff Williams, said: “When a device needs repairs, we want people to have access to a safe and reliable solution — this latest expansion joins the thousands of repair locations we’ve added over the past year.
“We’re looking forward to bringing that convenient and trustworthy repair experience to our Mac users.”
