Apple last summer announced a new Independent Repair Provider Program that provides independent repair businesses with the genuine Apple parts, tools, repair manuals, and training provided to Apple Authorized Service Providers.

The change came amid Right to Repair laws being proposed in multiple states, which Apple has lobbied hard against. Right to Repair laws would require Apple to provide parts, manuals, and more to allow repairs to be done by any repair shop, so Apple decided to get ahead of those laws with its own program.

Repair businesses that violate Apple's rules can be forced to pay Apple $1,000 for every transaction during an audit period if more than two percent of business transactions involve "prohibited products."

Kit Walsh, an attorney with the EFF, told Motherboard that Apple has the power to "impose potentially business-destroying costs and penalties on the repair shop," and that shops who sign Apple's repair notice and then do repairs on non-Apple devices do so at their own peril.

Some repair shops contacted by Motherboard said they would not agree to join Apple's program due to the "onerous" terms of the contract, but others "valued the opportunity" to get parts from Apple.

Apple declined to answer specific questions from Motherboard about the contract that it provides to repair shops, but did not dispute the accuracy of the contract terms the site shared. Apple in a statement said that it is working with interested parties and plans to update the language in its materials based on feedback.

Though Apple has launched the Independent Repair Program, it continues to fight against Right to Repair legislation through trade groups that represent it, and the IRP is used as evidence that consumers have a wide range of choice when it comes to repair options.

Source: Macrumors