Last August Apple announced an Independent Repair Program (IRP), offering customers additional options for the most common out-of-warranty iPhone repairs. The tech giant said it would provide more independent repair businesses — large or small — with the same genuine parts, tools, training, repair manuals and diagnostics as its Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs).
Now, Motherboard says it’s obtained one of the IRP contracts and found it contains terms that lawyers and repair advocates find “onerous” and “crazy.” The article says the contract is also invasive from a consumer privacy standpoint.
In order to join the program, the contract states independent repair shops must agree to unannounced audits and inspections by Apple, which are intended, at least in part, to search for and identify the use of “prohibited” repair parts, which Apple can impose fines for. If they leave the program, Apple reserves the right to continue inspecting repair shops for up to five years after a repair shop leaves the program. Motherboard says that Apple also requires repair shops in the program to share information about their customers at Apple’s request, including names, phone numbers, and home addresses
Apple probably launched the IRP program to combat “Right to Repair” bills that have popped up in several states. Such bills, basically, would require manufacturers of electronics to make diagnostic and repair information, as well as equipment or service parts, available to product owners and to independent repair shops
Read the Motherboard article for lots more details.
