Thomas Peter | Reuters The iPhone 14, which was released last week, is the most repairable iPhone since the iPhone 7, which was released in 2016, repair advocate and tool supplier iFixit said in a blog post. Apple has redesigned the internal structure of the iPhone 14 to allow users to remove and replace both the device’s back glass and its display by removing just two screws, according to a teardown by iFixit. The changes will make it easier for Apple Store employees, independent repair shops and end users to replace the phone’s screen, back glass and battery, the most common repairs for most smartphones. “Apple has completely redesigned the internals of the iPhone 14 to make it easier to repair,” wrote Kyle Wiens, founder of iFixit. “It’s not visible at all from the outside, but that’s a big deal.” The high-end iPhone 14 Pro models do not use the new, more repairable design, according to iFixit. The repair-friendly design of the iPhone 14 this year contrasts with other iPhones and many Android devices that use glue and tight tolerances that make older phones more difficult to repair. Apple’s iPhone redesign comes as advocates continue to push for laws to give consumers access to manuals, tools and parts needed to repair increasingly complex electronics and industrial machinery, which they say will make them last more, reducing e-waste and environmental impact. saving money for users. Advocates call the cause “right to repair,” and several states across the U.S. have considered legislation that would force consumer electronics companies to publish manuals and sell genuine parts. Lawmakers in New York passed a right-to-repair measure earlier this year. It has not yet been signed into law. The issue is also gaining attention at the federal level. President Joe Biden supports the right to repair and has asked the Federal Trade Commission to draft “right to repair” rules in an executive order in 2021. The FTC also presented a report delivered to Congress in 2021 on the legal landscape around from right-to-repair, identifying cell phone and car manufacturers as two industries with repair restrictions. Apple has taken some steps in recent years to make repairing its devices easier. In April, it introduced a program called Self Service Repair that allows users and independent repair shops to rent the same tools that Apple stores use as well as buy genuine Apple parts. Apple also made repair manuals available for its devices through the program. However, Apple still insists that visiting an Apple-certified technician is the best way for the vast majority of customers to repair their devices. “This design improvement is a big win. These changes to the iPhone will help it last longer and reduce its overall impact on the planet,” Wiens wrote.
