Earlier this week, Apple announced a self-service repair service for MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops equipped with M1 Series chips, allowing users to access repair manuals and original parts and tools through Apple’s self-service repair store.
However, repair guide site iFixit isn’t happy with Apple’s approach. In a blog post, iFixit’s Sam Goldheart said Apple’s plan manages to make the MacBook Pro look “harder to fix,” mainly because Apple’s current MacBook Pro battery replacement is very expensive and time-consuming.
iFixit says that Apple does not allow users to purchase a separate battery for their MacBook Pro, but must order a part called a “Top Case. Users must then follow Apple’s repair manual to replace the entire “Top Case” part for the MacBook Pro pictured below.
The “Top Case” parts include keyboard, battery, speakers, etc. The 14-inch MacBook Pro version costs $527 (about 3604.68 yuan), which is about $200 (about 1368 yuan) more expensive than having Apple’s official/authorized stores replace the battery.
IT Home has learned that Apple’s repair manual is 162 pages long, and if users don’t have the right tools, they will have to spend $49 (about $335.16) to rent a repair tool kit, which is far more expensive in terms of time and money than an official/authorized Apple store repair.
