postsbyparker

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Here’s why light bezels should make a comeback on iPhone & iPad

When Apple introduced the new iMac last Spring they said “We wanted it to feel light and optimistic, while instantly brightening up any space... The softer colors and light gray borders ground the iMac in your environment.” 

They should bring that exact same idea back to their other devices. When Apple transitioned to edge to edge displays starting with the iPhone X they stopped offering white bezels. Not a single iPad or iPhone in the current lineup has white bezels. They are however, rumored to be bringing light gray bezels to the next MacBook Air so that it resembles the iMac.

If you remember, more than a decade ago we all waited anxiously for the white iPhone 4. It was delayed by almost a year because Apple had to completely re-engineer the device’s design to allow for the white glass. Every new iPhone for about 6 years had a white bezel option or in some cases even a few.

As Apple said when they introduced the new iMac, light bezels brighten things up. They scream optimism. Personally, every time I look at my iMac I can’t help but smile. It’s just friendly looking. With colors now on iPad Air and iPhones, the company should consider introducing the same light gray bezels to those devices. Particularly given that the current designs for the iPad and iPhone aren't likely to be going anywhere anytime soon and will need to look fresh. 

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Here’s what Apple’s self service repair store should look like

Apple launched their first self service repair program earlier this week for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 series of phones. It’s a huge win for right to repair and for consumers who like to do their own repairs. But the experience that Apple has implemented is a bit user-hostile. 

You’d be forgiven for thinking that Apple’s new self service store is a scam. It doesn’t look even remotely affiliated with Apple and frankly looks like a stock website template. Heck, it doesn’t even use Apple’s San Francisco font. Apple understandably doesn’t want users to repair their own devices, so it’s not too surprising that this experience is subpar. It will surely encourage users not to do their own repairs. But if Apple wanted to make the experience just a bit better, here’s how I’d do it.

It starts with adding a self service repair button to the main support page on Apple.com. Clicking it would offer you options much like the existing Apple repair page does. But this one would give you a link to download manuals, purchase the parts you need, and send back your broken parts for recycling. 

The experience should look like the Apple online store. Parts should be cleanly organized and easy to digest. Filters on the left side should be similar to those used for accessories. 

By adding these parts to the main Apple website, consumers can be more comfortable purchasing them. They can use Apple Pay, keep them in their order history, and access their device list when purchasing a part. 

On individual part pages, you can enter your serial number to confirm that you are buying for the correct device. Or since this is on Apple.com, you could sign in with your Apple ID to select a specific device already associated with your account like you do in Apple’s support app.

Below the add to bag button, you can choose to have Apple do the repair if you get cold feet. Just click to schedule an appointment. And scrolling down the page will let you check out the repair manual again. 

So this is what Apple’s self service repair program should look like. I hope that they reconsider their current offering.

Scroll down or click here for high resolution images.

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High resolution images of what Apple’s self service repair program should look like.