Apple is warning its customers: don't repair iPhones, iPads and other company products at home. Here's why it's dangerous and what's behind the warning
Today there are many people trying to repair their electronic devices at home. Between a tutorial found online and the advice of some geeky friend, many consumers try to bring back to life cell phones, tablets or even computers of all brands. Unfortunately, these operations can often prove to be dangerous.
To avoid accidents to its customers, Apple has recommended not to open or repair iPhones at home. This action could be very risky. The warning comes as a result of the Act currently being debated in the US House. The legislation is called "Right to Repair" and provides that consumers have the right to fix electronic and digital devices themselves. The Cupertino company, however, doesn't agree at all because activities of this type, carried out even by people with little technical knowledge, could prove risky and cause explosions, short circuits and other accidents.
Why is it better not to repair iPhones at home?
Apple has sent representatives of CompTIA to Washington. This organization, spokesperson for more than 50 American companies, aims to block the law under discussion in California, the so-called Right to Repair, which would give consumers the right to repair their devices at home.
The news was published by the website Motherboard, which described the meeting between Apple lobbyists and members of the Committee on Privacy and Security of Users. Together they discussed the possible dangers of the so-called "Repair Bill," a Bill that will be discussed this week. The dangers involved in repairing an Apple device are many.
To support this argument, Apple spokespeople repaired an iPhone in front of lawmakers, demonstrating that an inexperienced consumer would never be able to finish the job. The risks are different: injuries, cuts and infections are just around the corner. In addition, inexperienced consumers could accidentally puncture the lithium-ion battery. Therefore, the company always recommends taking your devices to an Authorized Service Center, where they will be repaired quickly and in the best way.
Lisa Jackson, vice president of Apple's Environmental Initiatives department, also stated that fixing an iPhone yourself is very complex and dangerous.
Apple against unauthorized centers
In the same way, the company says it is against unauthorized repair centers. These establishments provide customers with different services: they can fix an iPhone, an iPad but also a Mac at a much lower cost than an authorized store. To do so, however, they use non-original parts, which can damage such complex and sophisticated products. Moreover, these centers would cut the legs of the official market, causing losses to Apple Stores as well. Finally, among the reasons that pushed Apple to defy the law there is also the impossibility to sell profitable services such as AppleCare.