Apple Announces Limited Parts-Pairing Changes on Day of Colorado Right-to-Repair Hearing

Timing and Announcement

Apple announced changes to its parts-pairing system on the same day the Colorado Senate Judiciary Committee held a key hearing on a bill that would ban the practice. The changes are set to roll out "this fall" for what Apple describes only as "select iPhone models," without specifying which devices or when exactly the changes take effect.

Despite Apple's announcement, the Colorado bill passed the committee 5-2. Oregon had already passed a similar law banning parts pairing earlier in 2024.

How Parts Pairing Works

Apple's parts-pairing system assigns a serial number to internal components. When a part is replaced, the device detects the serial number change and either displays a warning or rejects the part outright unless Apple's remote servers approve the swap. The mechanism is described in a patent authored by Apple engineer John Perry.

What's Changing — and What Isn't

Under the announced changes, Apple will stop blocking genuine Apple-made parts from working across its own devices, a shift expected to benefit refurbishers who rely on harvesting parts from used iPhones. However, Apple's announcement indicates that restrictions on aftermarket and third-party parts will remain in place.

Repairs will continue to require an internet connection, with Apple's servers remotely authenticating the part before the repair is considered complete. Additionally, Apple's Activation Lock — previously tied to whole devices — will now extend to individual parts, meaning components pulled from a locked device cannot be resold.

A Familiar Pattern

iFixit drew a parallel to a 2023 incident involving Case IH, an agricultural equipment maker, which announced a Memorandum of Understanding on the same day as a Colorado hearing on farm equipment right-to-repair legislation. In that case, lawmakers passed the bill despite the announcement, making Colorado the first place in the world to adopt legal protections for farmers repairing their own equipment.