Repair manuals were kept secret; genuine replacement parts were hard to come by; and, most recently, replacing the screen of the latest iPhone disabled the gadget’s facial-recognition feature.

In a series of moves that surprised many, Apple earlier this month promised a software fix to make the new iPhone model more repairable, and on November 17th announced that it will allow individuals to mend their devices and provide manuals, tools and parts.

Independent repair shops can join in, without signing onerous agreements with Apple.

Apple’s replacement parts, like its premium devices, cost a pretty penny.

Nor is it clear to what extent Apple will make its devices easier to repair.

Still, if Apple went further, its repair programme could become a model for the smartphone and, perhaps, the wider electronics industry.

It could make pre-emptive concessions, for example, in the heated controversy about how it governs the app store on the iPhone.

Soaring demand for guns and ammunition comes from a range of demographic groups

Soaring demand for guns and ammunition comes from a range of demographic groups