Hiweixiu (Hi Repair), which provides home repair and recycling services for cell phones, announced on December 29 that it has become Apple's first independent repair provider in China.
Hiweixiu was officially launched in March 2015, mainly engaged in cell phone repair and recycling business, and now provides services in more than 30 large and medium-sized cities in China.
It can provide both original Apple parts and third-party parts certified by Hiweixiu in the service.
The use of Hiweixiu to provide the original Apple accessories does not affect the official warranty of the product, after the completion of the repair, users can also check the maintenance records of the current Apple website.
Cooperation with Hiweixiu is a rare move by Apple. International Financial News quoted an unnamed industry source as saying that Apple's layout of the independent repair provider program appears to give consumers a wide range of options in terms of repair choices, but in fact, it is a test run for challenging its own ecosystem, especially given the inclusion of the Chinese market.
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As previously reported, Apple will expand its independent repair provider program to 32 countries, including Europe and Canada, in addition to adding more repair locations in the United States.
The program will allow companies of all sizes to repair iPhones using official Apple parts to ensure safety and quality.
Hiweixiu said that since last year's communication with Apple, the iPhone maker conducted research on it until it was finally considered that its standardization in this area, as well as its services, meet Apple's requirements.
After becoming Apple's first independent repair provider in China, all repair engineers will receive professional training from Apple Care and become Apple Care certified engineers.
According to Wang Chunxia, founder of Laika Think Tank, as quoted by International Finance News, Apple's introduction of the independent repair provider program to China shows the urgency of Apple's development in the Chinese market. "In the fierce competition for smartphones in China, retaining consumers through after-sales is a good option and will put pressure on competitors."
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