The iPhone 16e Rapidly Joins Apple’s DIY Repair Program
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Apple has just added the iPhone 16e to its self-service repair program, setting a new record for the period between a device’s release and the availability of repair manuals and parts to do-it-yourselfers.
We were already impressed when Apple added the M4-powered Mac lineup in February, only three months after those Macs went on sale in early November. However, the iPhone 16e just beat that, coming to the mix less than six weeks after Apple’s most affordable iPhone model began landing in eager customers’ hands.
Although the iPhone 16e has some similarities to the iPhone 14, there are also enough differences to necessitate different repair procedures. There’s every indication the iPhone 16e uses the same screen as the 2022 model, but it packs in a larger battery and an entirely new camera system.
As with other iPhone models, DIYers can peruse the repair manuals and order the parts needed to replace the back glass, battery, top or bottom speakers, camera, display, microphone, SIM tray, Taptic Engine, or the TrueDepth camera.
Sadly, even though the iPhone 16e is now Apple’s most affordable model, don’t expect to save much if you have to conduct your own repairs. As we discovered when Apple first rolled out its self-service repair program, by the time you order the replacement part and rent the necessary tools, you might as well have taken your iPhone to a local Apple Store.
For example, Apple charges $229 to replace a cracked front screen on an iPhone 16e. That’s the same price it charges for a replacement screen. Apple will give you a credit of $11.45 after you return the old one, but you’ll also need to pony up $49 to rent the necessary tool kit and possibly other parts like an $0.08 security screw and a broken display film for $6.75 which is recommended if you’re dealing with glass shards. It’s also worth mentioning that the tool kits are specific to the device you’re repairing, so you can’t order a single set of tools to repair a bunch of iPhones for your family and friends unless they’re all the same model.
The same logic holds for other repairs; in nearly every case, the cost of ordering the parts from Apple is the same as what Apple charges to repair it for you, although the return credits are higher in some cases, to the point where you might be able to afford the tool rental and still break even.
Of course, the iPhone 16e is still under warranty, which means Apple will fix many problems at zero cost. Physical damage is the notable exception, but you’re still better off buying AppleCare+ for $10/month or $100/year. This reduces screen repair costs to a flat $29 and now includes Theft and Loss protection in the United States.
It’s also worth mentioning that the repair process is most decidedly not for the faint of heart. While Apple offers all the tools and instructions you need, it’s still precision work. Even if you have the necessary skills, you’re far better off letting Apple do the work for you — especially since the onus is on them to get it right. If you break your iPhone during a DIY repair, you’re on your own.
Apple’s self-serve repair program feels like a passive-aggressive response to the right-to-repair legislation that the company once strongly opposed. While Apple has bowed to the inevitable in realizing it won’t win this fight, new right-to-repair laws merely say that Apple has to make parts and repair manuals available — they don’t require Apple to make it cheap or easy.
