Apple is expanding its Independent Repair Program across the globe

In late 2019, Apple launched its Independent Repair Program at select shops. The idea was to expand availability of certified repairs for damaged iPhones, going beyond just Apple store appointments. Now that program is expanding quite a bit.

Apple on Monday officially announced that it is expanding its independent repair efforts across the globe. With this expansion, more independent and third-party repair shops will have access to genuine Apple parts for repairs, which means iPhones won’t show any pop-up message informing the owner that their device is equipped with non-genuine hardware.

Repair manuals and diagnostics tools will be handed out to these repair shops, all meant to handle out-of-warranty repairs. (Apple still wants folks to come into an Apple store for in-warranty repairs.)

A few quotes from today’s announcement:

Being a part of the Independent Repair Provider program has been a huge benefit to my business, employees, and customers,” said Scott Baker, owner of Mister Mac in Wimberley, Texas. “Since joining, we’ve received great support from Apple, and we’re able to deliver that same level of service to our customers. It has even brought genuine excitement to our town.

And:

The Independent Repair Provider program has been a very positive experience for us and for our customers,” said Nils Weber, project manager for Pro Repair GmbH in Germany. “During COVID-19, reliable access to parts has allowed us to adapt our business to accommodate the sudden high demand for mail-in repairs from our customers.

Apple says in its announcement that there are over 1,500 independent repair providers scattered across the United States, Canada, and Europe. With this expansion, it should be much easier to find a shop to handle out-of-warranty repairs when they are needed.