This has got nothing at all to do with competence. Apple authorised techs are extremely limited in the repairs they are able to do. It doesn't matter how competent or not they are at repair, Apple limits what they can do. As a result there are lots of repairs that third party repairers can do, they Apple techs are not allowed to do, even if they have ability to do so. It's not. Louis could become an Apple certified tech if he wanted to. But, if he did, he wouldn't be allowed to do a lot of the repairs he does now. They video is an explanation of why he chooses not to become certified,
So what? He was not taught how to work on every Ford ever made. And if that training was 5 years ago, as an arbitrary example, then any specifics are now obsolete - especially if he has not bothered to stay current. The Ford Ranger, for example, is a totally new mid-size pickup in 2019. It was last produced for North American markets in 2011. If the pitching coach went through factory training in 2010, does that make him an expert in the new Ford Ranger? Your logic would have everyone believe he is just because he was trained by Ford some time in the past. What if the mechanic is an ASC certified mechanic and 2019 graduate of the Hawai'i Community College with an AS in Automotive Mechanics Technology degree now working in "Joe Bananas Auto Repair Emporium" - an ASC certified repair facility? Regardless if the shop is with a dealer, or an independent shop, the "theory" of how an internal combustion engine remains the same. The "theory" of how the AC compressor works remains the same. The "theory" of how electrons flow through a circuit remains the same. The service manuals available to the dealer and to the independent remain the same. And the tools remain the same. I bet the independent repair tech has the correct "left-handed" crescent wrench too. This is what I mean by invalid conclusions. Who's talking about breaking down in unfamiliar cities? What's if's and hypotheticals prove nothing. But since you like them, "what if" you were visiting 3 long time and trusted friends in that unfamiliar city and they all said "Joe Bananas Auto Repair Emporium" had the best mechanics and best prices in town and that's where they all take their cars? Right - and yet you want everyone to believe dealers have the best mechanics in town. And Angie's List? Come on! You rely on a bunch of reviews by total strangers that may even be fake? Forbes - Why Consumer Reports Says You Can't Trust Angie's List Contractor Talk - Angie's List Fake Reviews Consumer Affairs - Angies List This is an excellent point. And not limited to Apple or cell phones either. A qualified electronics technician can troubleshoot down to the component level, and replace that discrete device where an "authorized" repair tech is often restricted to "black box" maintenance - that is, they can only remove and replace the entire sub-assembly or circuit board (at a much greater cost to the consumer). Often, the entire phone, for example, must be replaced. I have personally seen this with other products over the years in my own work - at least with new items still under warranty. In defense of Apple (and other makers), the initial "intent" of these restrictions is NOT to bilk the consumer of more money. When done under warranty for example, that entire board is sent back to the factory for analysis. If they get back many boards with the exact same problem, they revise the design to make the product more reliable. However, once the warranty period is over, IMO, such restrictions should be lifted.
I can absolutely get that some things should be discouraged from being worked on by unqualified end users. The current model worked because I myself have no desire to open a glued together phone that is glass front and back. I do not agree with the trend of wanting a thinner and lighter phone. I'd rather have a bulletproof brick with a replaceable battery but I have not had that option for a while therefore I cannot resist this by buying the option that is no longer made. I also don't care for the push for a bezel less phone that is offset by holes in the screen or a notch as it ruins the entire display in my opinion. But that's another topic and nobody asked me anyway.
I don't either. Same with notebooks. But that's for me. If I traveled and had to lug suitcases, briefcases, and notebook cases about every day, I might feel differently.
