Rumor has it that we’re less than a month away from the unveiling of the iPhone 17. I always look forward to this highlight of the tech calendar, especially since I’ve signed and primarily used an iPhone for over a decade.
When it comes to the 2025 iPhone, there’s one thing Apple would like to prioritize, and it might not be what you’d expect. which is not the case nice new designa larger battery or the most amazing camera. These are definitely not advanced AI features.
On the other hand, what I would like to see from her. iPhone 17 Repairability is even better, especially more self-repair options. My work inevitably involves a lot of technology, but I feel a great responsibility not to promote a culture of excessive consumption. Treating devices as disposable products is an unrealistic lifestyle and places a heavy burden on our already overburdened planet.
Extending the life of our technology through repairs is one of the tools we have to reduce this burden. Increasingly, and in part due to right-to-repair legislation coming into effect around the world, technology companies are making it easier for us to make these repairs ourselves instead of relying solely on expensive in-house repair programs.
Apple wasn’t part of it for a long time. In fact, people are strongly discouraged from playing with their iPhone at home. All that changed in 2021, when the company launched its self-healing program. Advances continue to facilitate phone repair, because remember, these are complex and carefully designed technical devices. But there is still work to be done, especially in the areas of usability and accessibility.
I’m currently using an iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is about to celebrate its second anniversary. This is nothing new, but aside from the reduced battery capacity, I have absolutely no complaints about performance. It will receive its annual software update next month with the launch of iOS26 and it will feel brand new to me again. This is a phone that will last for years if I decide to replace the battery.
But honestly, I’m nervous about doing it. I’ve repaired a lot of equipment in my career, usually under the supervision of someone much more experienced than me, but I feel there’s a lot more to it than that. Spare parts and repair tools aren’t cheap, and if I break something, it can quickly become even more expensive. So I have no choice but to invest in a new phone.
I’m determined to give it a try, but I also wish Apple would make it even easier for me to replace the battery in the future; I don’t want to feel like I’m having open heart surgery on my phone. I must congratulate the company in advance for the efforts made in this direction.
When Kyle Wiens, CEO of online community, advocacy organization and parts store iFixit, first appeared iPhone 16 teardown Last year, he highlighted many of the repair improvements Apple had introduced with the model and praised the company for releasing the repair manual on the same day as the phone.
Two months later, Apple began selling replacement parts through its self-repair program. Even better, the company offers users the option to rent instead of buy the repair kits they need, reducing waste and overall repair costs.
This was a big step in the right direction for Apple and led to iFixit giving the iPhone 16 a repairability score of 7/10. This still leaves room for improvement, and I hope this year’s iPhone takes at least one step further toward setting the benchmark for phone repairs. It’s no easy task for a phone maker, but Apple has been a pioneer in many ways. Why not this too?
