Dropped your cell phone&nbsp;in the toilet? Spill some coffee on that brand new laptop and lost your photos?

Often, fixing it isn't an option. You&nbsp;just have to get a whole new device.

Lobby groups across the globe&nbsp;have been pushing&nbsp;for laws that would force companies to let users crack open their&nbsp;various devices.

Broken iPhone? Apple will finally sell parts to let you fix it — not brick it

Apple will soon start selling spare parts and tools to ordinary people who want to make small fixes to their iPhones and Mac laptops, in a major step forward for the growing 'right-to-repair' movement.

A man uses an Apple iPhone with a cracked screen to photograph the news Samsung Galaxy Watch during a Samsung product launch event in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., August 9, 2018. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

 iPhone cracked

The self-service repair program from Apple comes after years of pressure from consumer groups has resulted in the company providing greater access to repair manuals and genuine parts. 

The right to repair the stuff you buy and why some companies prefer don't-it-yourself to DIY

The idea of fixing the stuff you own may seem like a given for certain items: a car, for example. But as digital technologies replace analog, it's getting harder to repair anything from your family sedan to your dishwasher.

iPhone repair expert Jessa Jones is challenging Apple’s stance about data recovery from water-damaged phones.

Iphone repair

iPhones are just one of the items that are harder to "do-it-yourself" with in the 21st century.

Apple has&nbsp;finally agreed to allow users to access its manuals and parts for devices such as the newest iPhones or MacBooks, and some say it's a huge step forward for the "right to repair"&nbsp;movement. But is it really? Anis Heydari cracks&nbsp;open his screwdriver set to find out.

Haider Issa runs an independent Apple repair store in Calgary, and says the company's move to sell parts and manuals is positive.

Haider Issa

Apple has finally agreed to allow users to access its manuals and parts. Some say it's a huge step forward for the "right to repair" movement. But is it really? Anis Heydari cracks open his screwdriver set to find out.

Apple gives users the 'right to repair' — so what's the catch?

More Stories Like This