HackerTube.dev

Apple's Independent Repair Program is a useless PR stunt.

Louis Rossmann · 85.2K views · 2019-12-23 · 16:09

Open on YouTube ↗

If playback is restricted in your region, try opening the original video. Use Mark watched to add it to your marked videos.

Overview

Louis Rossmann argues that Apple's Independent Repair Program is a PR stunt that misleads the public and burdens independent repair shops. He discusses parts access restrictions and program limits.

On Hacker News

HN commenters recommend it as an insider account from a repair shop owner of why Apple's repair program falls short of real right to repair.

Recommended by 3 HN people across 3 months · HN mentions 2020–2021

Topics

Repair, teardowns & right to repairTech company stories & documentaries
Search by tags
appleindependent repair programlouis rossmannright to repairparts access

What people said

Kwpolska · 2020-10 · Recommendation

If you’ve got 16 minutes, listen to Louis Rossmann describe how much of a joke it is: [VIDEO] The short version is that Apple (a) does not let those stores order components in bulk, which means 2+ week turnaround on a repair that an independent store can do in 15 minutes, and (b) limits those stores to screens and batteries for iPhones. You can’t fix iPads, can’t fix Macs, can’t fix anything other than these two components.

Read the original HN comment ↗
mehrdadn · 2020-08 · Recommendation

The independent repair program is designed to destroy independent repair businesses and mislead people in the process. It forces their customers to wait 1-2 weeks for any repair (even just a battery replacement) after being forced to provide their personal identifying information, and even then, does not provide parts for anything nontrivial at all. It ensures repair shops don't actually stay in business—customers wouldn't wait 1-2 weeks for just a battery replacement. Louis Rossmann explains it: [LINK] , [VIDEO]

Read the original HN comment ↗
Nextgrid · 2020-07 · Recommendation

The independent repair program is bullshit and is just a marketing move to try to appear good and avoid regulation being passed. Louis Rossmann (a popular unauthorized repair shop owner) explains it: [VIDEO]

Read the original HN comment ↗

Sources

Video by Louis Rossmann, played through YouTube.

Data and selection notes

HN summaries and labels may contain AI errors. HN dates refer to discussions, not video publication.

HN Library: HackerTube export (2026-10-31) and open-index/hacker-news. Upstream summaries and classifications may contain AI errors.

Views, duration and playback status refresh separately from the published catalog. When an update fails, existing data remains visible.

Selection checks
  • SaaS & AI candidates: Topic keywords do not match
  • Editor-approved picks: Editorial review is required

Rule matches identify candidates. They do not guarantee video quality or financial results.

About the library and its sources