Repairs
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Samsung’s display injunction leaves repair technicians worried
Several companies have tried for years to kill independent repair businesses. Samsung may have found the silver bullet.
Nikon ends its authorized third-party repair program
Nikon plans to kill its authorized US repair program in March 2020 by cutting off access to official parts, tools, software and manuals to 15 official repair shops, iFixit has reported. The move will force owners to send busted cameras to just two Nikon-operated repair centers in the US, significantly delaying repairs. Nikon made the move in the wake of a steep decline in profits as smartphones continue to decimate camera sales across the industry.
An AirPods Pro replacement costs $89 per earbud
Perhaps unsurprisingly, given their higher price than the standard AirPods, it'll cost more for you to repair or replace the new AirPods Pro through Apple Support. Out of warranty, the price this time around is $89 per earbud, and it costs the same to have the wireless charging case repaired or replaced. If you lose an AirPods Pro earbud, Apple charges $89 for a new one or $99 to replace a misplaced case.
iFixit teardown takes a look inside the Note 10+ 5G
The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G will be available online and in stores tomorrow. Just in time, the folks at iFixit are sharing a peek inside the new device. Most notably, the phone borrows one major design queue from the iPhone, and it won't be super easy to repair.
Best Buy stores will soon offer Apple-certified repairs
Today, Apple announced that it's partnering with Best Buy in a push to expand its service network. Customers can now choose from nearly 1,000 Best Buy stores across the US for service and repairs on Apple products. As part of the expansion, Best Buy's Geek Squad has nearly 7,600 newly Apple-certified technicians, who can make same-day iPhone repairs and service other Apple products. As we learned this spring, Best Buy will also collect iPhones for recycling.
Google will pay Louisville $4 million to repair roads after Fiber exit
Google Fiber service ended in Louisville this week following a number of issues, including exposed cables. As it departs, Google is paying the city $3.84 million over 20 months to cover the costs of removing cables and sealant from roads; milling and paving where needed; and removing above-ground infrastructure. Google is also making a $150,000 donation to the Community Foundation of Louisville, which supports digital inclusion efforts such as refurbishing old computers for low-income individuals.
Apple will repair iPhones with third-party batteries
In a change to its longstanding policy, Apple is apparently repairing iPhones with third-party batteries at its Genius Bars and Apple Authorized Service Providers. This is a about-face from its previous stance, which was to refuse repairs on iPhones with aftermarket batteries.
Apple reportedly expands the list of ‘vintage’ products it will repair
Apple is expanding its program to repair some of its vintage products that are still in circulation, according to 9to5Mac. Under the program, Apple will extend service of the iPhone 5. It also offer repairs for the 11- and 13-inch models of the MacBook air released in mid-2012 and the 21.7- and 27-inch iMacs from mid-2011. Apple will extend the program to cover the iPhone 4s and 15-inch MacBook Pro from mid-2012 on November 30th. The 13-inch MacBook Pros with Retina display from late 2012 and early 2013, 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display from mid-2012 and Mac Pro from mid-2012 will be covered on December 30th.
Google and uBreakiFix provide free Pixel repairs to hurricane victims
If you own one of Google's Pixel phones and it fell victim to Hurricane Florence, relief might be at hand. Google is partnering with uBreakiFix to offer free repairs for any Pixel phone damaged in the storm So long as you can visit one of uBreakiFix's locations in North Carolina, South Carolina or Virginia, the repair shop will fix cracked screens and water damage at no cost. You don't need an appointment to take advantage of the offer.
Even genuine replacement Apple displays can mess with iPhones
Following the news that the latest iOS update can break phones with non-official replacement screens, repairers are encountering a different, more subtle problem: If you put a genuine Apple replacement display into an iPhone 8, 8 Plus or X, it'll no longer be able to adjust its brightness automatically. If Apple or one of its authorized partners were to put the same display in the same phone, though? No problem. The aftermarket repair community has verified the behavior in phones from the US all the way to Australia. It's confirmed to be an issue with phones running iOS 11.1, 11.2 and 11.3, which led sources to suggest it's been a problem since the launch of the latest batch of iPhones last fall. I was able to confirm that even swapping the displays of two brand-new iPhones causes the ambient light sensor to stop working, despite it not being altered or touched in any way. Experiments have shown that the sensor is disabled by iOS during the boot process.
iOS 11.3 may break aftermarket iPhone 8 displays
iOS 11.3 brought with it some improvements for your iPhone, including ARKit updates, new battery features, and a new message that informs you when it wants access to personal data. Unfortunately, if you had your iPhone 8 display replaced by an aftermarket part, iOS 11.3 might also stop it from working. According to a post at Motherboard, several users who have third-party displays are reporting that their iPhones are unresponsive to touch after updating to the latest mobile operating system.
Google reveals its most-searched ‘How To’ tips
It's easy to forget how difficult DIY repairs were just a couple of decades ago, considering how easy the internet makes it to fix very specific product problems. (My biggest personal victory was fixing a 50-inch LG plasma display that borked a week after the warranty expired, following some extensive Googling.) Now, Google has created a site that shows exactly what you want to fix, do and learn the most, based on where you live.
Apple will fix your older MacBook Pro's video problems for free
Did you snag a MacBook Pro before 2014 only to run into corrupted video, no video at all or spontaneous reboots? You won't have to shell out for a fix if you're out of warranty. After more than a year of reports, Apple is launching a repair program that will mend your laptop for free if its graphics are going haywire. You're covered so long as you bought a 15- or 17-inch MacBook Pro between early 2011 and the end of 2013, including the first two generations of Retina models. The program will be available as of February 20th if you're in the US or Canada, and a week later in the rest of the world. Only a "small percentage" of systems are affected, Apple says, but it won't hurt to check coverage even if everything is hunky dory.
iFixit gives you thousands of repair manuals in your pocket
The iFixit app (free) is a handy little app that gives your Do-It-Yourself repairs a big boost. This app comes from the teardown experts at iFixit, who delight in exploring the inner secrets of your favorite tech (or not-so-techie) hardware. The iFixit app helps you repair just about anything from toilets to garage door openers, cameras, cars, and of course, PCs and Macs. iFixit is divided by categories, or you can search by type of repair or brand name. When you get to Mac, for example, there's a choice of desktops, laptops, or other Mac hardware. You work your way down the list for a specific model, and then the repair options appear. The app tells you what parts you may need and any tools required. Repair steps are in short sections that you swipe to go to the next step and the instructions are usually accompanied by photos. The app reaches out to the internet for much of the information it needs, otherwise iFixit would be an unwieldy and huge app. If you like to do repairs yourself, saving money and extending the life of what you own, the iFixit app is a must. In addition to repair instructions, you can often download a PDF product manual. Any repair can be marked as a favorite for future reference. If you need to order parts, the app tells you where they can be purchased. You can even order tools from iFixit if you don't have them on hand. iFixit works well, and covers thousands of brands and repairs. The app requires iOS 6.1 or later, and it is optimized for the iPhone 5. The app is universal. Free is always good, and iFixit is a really worthwhile app to have.
iFixit offers clear case 'revelation kit' for iPhone 4/4S at discount
iFixit is offering its clear case "revelation kit" for iPhone 4 and 4S at a discount. At US$19.99, saving you $10 off the normal price, the kit is on sale until the end of August 16. What's more, the kit is finally available for the white iPhone. iFixit's revelation kit basically provides you with a replacement back panel that is clear, revealing the insides of your iPhone 4 or 4S. The kit includes the transparent panel, a pentolobe and Phillips screw driver, Phillips screws to replace your pentalobe ones and iFixit's iPhone 4/4S epic screen protector. Replacing the back panel of your iPhone 4/4S looks really easy. iFixit rates the procedure as "easy" and provides a step-by-step guide as well as YouTube video (shown below) to show you just how to do it.
Apple uses this machine to calibrate in-store iPhone display replacement
Earlier this week, we told you that Apple has begun repairing iPhone displays in its retail stores for US$149 each. The iPhone is obviously nothing without its display. Replacement must be done accurately and the display has to be calibrated perfectly in order for things to look just right. Apple's Geniuses will do just that with the help of a new machine that was delivered to its retail stores this week. The image above comes courtesy of 512 Pixels. The calibration machine does not appear to have any outward branding, so it's likely that it was custom-built by Apple. Here's what 512 Pixels had to say about it: For $149, most Genius Bars are now able to swap a shattered screen in just a few minutes. (A full out-of-warranty swap runs $229.) After the repair, the iPhone tech uses the below machine to calibrate a display's functionality: From what I've heard, Apple Stores have been instructed that the iPhone is the "top priority" for the Genius Bar, and this new repair and crazy machine surely reflect that. In addition to the program changes, many stores have Geniuses that are dedicated to iPhone repairs for sections of their shifts. In short, Apple is pouring resources in to in-store iPhone repairs. "We're bringing China to the Genius Room," one employee said.
Amazon Kindle Fire HD torn down, proves an easy fix
Interested in what makes your new Kindle Fire HD 7-inch tick? The crew at iFixit certainly is. As is the repair shop's custom, it just tore down Amazon's new reader tablet to gauge its repairability as well as look for any surprises. In the case of the revamped Kindle Fire, the fixable design is the main surprise -- despite being skinnier than its ancestor, the tablet is easy to open and its components (usually) easy to replace. We're not as shocked by the choice of hardware makers, which include an LG Display LCD, the expected 1.2GHz TI OMAP 4460 processor and Samsung flash memory. Head on over to the source if you'd like to see the nitty gritty of Amazon's Android slab and possibly save the trouble of a replacement unit down the road.
Apple offers free repairs for iPhones, other products damaged in Japan quake
Apple customers with Macs, displays, and iOS devices that were directly damaged in the Japan earthquake and tsunami may be eligible for free repairs. The offer, posted on the company's Japanese website, excludes iPod classic, nano, and shuffle, and only applies to customers living in areas covered by the Ministry of Health's Disaster Relief Act. Originally posted in March, Apple's announcement joins Softbank's offer to replace lost iPhones registered to its network, and free calls to Japan from U.S. carriers, among others. Considering water and other accidental damage typically voids a device's warranty, you'll want to give AppleCare a call soon -- the acceptance period only runs through June 30th.
NVIDIA's faulty GPU class action settlement challenged, but time's running out
Remember when NVIDIA was caught selling defective mobile graphics chips, and agreed to provide bargain-basement replacement laptops to make a class-action lawsuit go away? At least one gentleman wasn't happy with how that went down, and is suing to see that affected customers get a fair shake. Ted Frank of the Center for Class Action Fairness says that NVIDIA has no business passing off cheap laptops, and we think he might have a case -- after all, the judge ordered that NVIDIA provide "a replacement computer of like or similar kind and equal or similar value," and it doesn't take a lawyer to see that the $400 Compaq Presario CQ56-115DX that the company's offering doesn't come close to compensating owners of faulty machines. We joked that you might be better off selling your old laptop for parts on eBay, and that might not be far from the truth. The thing is, whether Ted Frank and company win or lose in court, defective laptop owners have only two weeks remaining to sign up for whatever NVIDIA ends up handing out, as March 14th is the final deadline to have settlement claims postmarked. Read the arguments at our more coverage link, and decide for yourself.
NVIDIA's faulty laptop GPU settlement starts paying out, file your repair and reimbursement claims now
Got an old Dell, HP or Apple laptop sitting around with a defective NVIDIA GPU? The company's finally ready to compensate you. That proposed class-action settlement from late last year has been approved by a California court, and the company's taking claims for repairs, replacements and reimbursements at a specially-designated website until March 14th. If you've got an affected Dell or Apple MacBook Pro, you can get the faulty chips replaced free of charge, while HP owners get a whole new replacement computer, though considering the choices there are the budget Compaq Presario CQ50 or an ASUS Eee PC T101MT, you might be better off selling your old parts on eBay. Finally, if you've already paid to get your components replaced and have the docs to prove it, you might be able to get refunded -- NVIDIA's set up a $2 million pool to be divided among all such reimbursements. Find everything you need at the links below. [Thanks, Kalyan]
