Apple to start letting people fix their own iPhones

Apple on Wednesday said it will begin allowing people to fix gadgets they buy from the Silicon Valley giant in a concession seen as a victory for "right-to-repair" advocates.

The iPhone and Mac computer maker has long restricted repairs to technicians at "Genius bars" in its shops or at authorized service centers, where device owners often meet with lengthy waits and costly tabs.

"We never thought we'd see the day," read a tweet from @iFixit, which says it offers repair guides for a range of devices.

"There are some catches, but were thrilled to see Apple admit what we've always known: Everyone's enough of a Genius to fix an iPhone."

Apple's new Self Service Repair program will start in the US, offering to sell tools and parts to people who want to work on damaged iPhone 12 or 13 models. It will initially focus on parts more prone to damage, such as screens, batteries and cameras.

The program will be rolled out in other countries next year, and be expanded to include some Mac computers.