Apple Is Releasing Its Secret iPhone Repair Machines to Retailers

Apple iPhone users know the ordeal all too well; your iPhone falls out of your pocket or you drop it and the screen cracks and you have to wait for a ridiculously long time at a retail store to get it fixed. Well, the Cupertino-based tech giant has finally decided to loosen the reins on its iPhone repair machines and by the end of 2017, about 400 authorized third-party repair shops in 25 countries will have them.

Reuters reports that the Horizon Machine, which mends the broken screens, was previously restricted from being distributed to over 500 retail stores and mail-in repair centers by Apple but recent “right to repair” bills in eight U.S. states may have forced Apple’s hand. While Apple denies pressure from legislation, it never formally acknowledged the machine’s existence until now. Initial rollout to authorized service providers will start at about 200 machines — which is about 4% of Apple’s 4,800 worldwide spots — and hopefully double to 400 machines by the end of the year. Best Buy will be amongst the first recipients while machines are already in place in cities like Miami, London, Shanghai and San Francisco. Finally, countries where Apple has no retail presence will also be early recipients with Colombia, Norway and South Korea to name a few.

Apple did not say how much these retailers paid for the Horizon Machine.

Stay tuned to see if your authorized local retailer will soon be providing repair services via the Horizon Machine.