"iPhone 14's Repairability Rating Plummets Due to Parts Pairing Barrier, iFixit Reports"
The repairability rating of the iPhone 14 by iFixit has been downgraded from 7/10 to 4/10 due to the significant barrier imposed by Apple's parts pairing process. Parts pairing, introduced with the iPhone 12, digitally pairs the serial number of a component to the serial number of the iPhone, making repairs with harvested parts or third-party components difficult. Independent repair shops and consumers raised concerns about the limitations and inconvenience caused by this practice. iFixit acknowledged the oversight and adjusted the rating, reflecting the challenges faced by individuals and independent repair shops when fixing the iPhone 14.