Good news for fans of DIY repair: iFixit, the specialist in the field, has just revised the repairability scores of the iPhone 15 upwards. They have gone from 4/10 to 7/10. A significant improvement which demonstrates Apple’s efforts in favor of the right to repair.
A game-changing tool: Repair Assistant
This leap forward is largely due to Apple’s introduction of its Repair Assistant software tool. This now allows users to install parts from other identical iPhones and calibrate them directly on the device, restoring full functionality of the phone after a repair.
Previously, only “authorized” parts purchased directly from Apple allowed this. Repairs using third-party parts or even genuine Apple parts from other iPhones were still penalized, but this is no longer the case.
Progress with variable geometry depending on the model
Unfortunately, not all iPhones benefit equally from these advances. For Series 12, 13 and 14 models, Repair Assistant provides some improvements but the repairability scores remain unchanged at 4/10.
On the other hand, the experience turns out to be much more conclusive on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 series. iFixit has thus awarded a provisional score of 7/10 to the very latest 2024 iPhones, which promise to be among the most repairable ever designed by Apple . A score which will be confirmed once spare parts are available.
Apple shows the way, despite some reservations
While hardware repair of iPhones remains quite complex, iFixit welcomes the progress made by Apple on the software side with Repair Assistant. The Cupertino company would even establish a new standard for the industry in this area.
Some bugs and limitations remain, but iFixit is cautiously optimistic that they will be resolved soon. The goal of these repairability scores is to inform users who want to be able to repair their devices themselves. An update which therefore reflects an encouraging trend, even if the road to more durable and repairable iPhones is still long.
