Apple to Enable Third-Party Batteries and Screens True Tone

Apple has announced changes to enable third-party parts and repairs to work more fully. They will stop disabling features like battery health and True Tone for third-party batteries and screens. This is a major step forward for independent repair, though there are still some limitations.

Apple was likely motivated to make these changes due to right-to-repair laws recently passed in places like Oregon, Colorado and the EU that require manufacturers to enable third-party repairs.

For the last eight years of iPhones, if you installed a third-party or secondhand battery, battery health metrics wouldn’t be visible in your settings. Similarly, if you replaced a broken screen with a used or third-party screen, the True Tone feature, which adjusts the color temperature of your screen based on ambient light, would be removed entirely.

While still not ideal, the announced changes go further than Apple’s previous statements on the issue. However, the full extent of Apple’s commitments remains unclear and there are still limitations like the inability to re-enable Face ID with third-party parts.

The announcement shows that Apple intends to comply with right-to-repair laws, though advocates will continue monitoring Apple closely to ensure the reality matches their promises. The report signals that Apple understands longevity and repair should go hand-in-hand in product design.

Apple to Enable Third-Party Batteries and Screens True Tone for third-party batteries and screens—assuming, of course, that the part can handle it. Better yet, they’ve announced that you’ll no longer need a serial number of a device to buy a part from their Self Service Repair marketplace. Finally, repair shops and repair cafes will be able to stock original Apple parts without having to submit to the onerous terms of an IRP contract (though they’ll still need to send old parts back to get good prices).

The key policy changes are:

1) Apple will no longer disable features like battery health metrics and True Tone displays for third-party batteries and screens, assuming the parts can handle the features.

2) Repair shops will be able to purchase original Apple parts without needing an IRP contract, though they will still need to return old parts.

3) Apple promises not to disable third-party parts unless needed for security reasons. However, they leave some wiggle room in their definitions and policies.

While these changes are seen as positive, repair advocates still want Apple to enable a path for third-party repair of features like Face ID. They argue there must be a secure process for Apple authorized repair shops to re-enable these features, and that independent cybersecurity experts could help Apple develop such a process.

Overall, the policy changes and Apple’s “Longevity by Design” report signal the company’s intention to comply with recent Right to Repair laws that have passed. However, repair advocates will continue to watch closely to ensure Apple follows through on its promises.

Apple notes that subsequent generations of iPhones have increasingly focused on device repairability. That was certainly evident with 2023’s iPhone 15. Unsurprisingly, iFixit’s subsequent teardown was a mixed bag, once again pointing to parts pairing as a major concern. The site ultimately awarded the device a 4/10 repairability score.

A Summary: Independent Repair Still Needs a Path to Re-enabling Face ID Securely

The text discusses the need for independent repair shops to have a way to re-enable Face ID after repairing iPhones. While Apple’s security measures are important, limiting the process to only Apple repair centers hurts independent repair businesses and consumers. The author suggests that Apple could work with security experts to create a secure method for third parties to re-enable Face ID after repairs.

The text also mentions that Apple’s recent moves indicate they intend to comply with Right to Repair laws that have been passed, which will require them to provide parts and repair information to independent repair shops. The author celebrates the new Right to Repair laws going into effect on July 1st in California and Minnesota, which will cover 20% of the US population.