Cuban Apple technicians, faced with the challenge of obtaining and maintaining Apple products due to importation difficulties, have developed a thriving repair business in the absence of official Apple stores in the country. With limited access to replacement parts and blocked IP addresses, these technicians have become skilled at finding workarounds and creative solutions to keep Apple devices functional in Cuba. Apple repair shops, primarily located in Havana, have created a community-driven ecosystem that relies on unofficial suppliers and a transnational network of individuals who can purchase hardware replacements abroad. These technicians have become celebrities in their own right and are highly respected by locals and foreigners alike. They provide services such as installing virtual private networks (VPNs) to disguise devices in Cuba and creating Apple IDs using foreign phone numbers. The technicians also offer recurring services like updating devices and removing carrier locks on iPhones. Despite limitations on importing equipment and replacement parts, these repair shops have thrived since economic reforms authorized small businesses, including electronic repair, in 2011. Technicians face challenges procuring simple tools, but they continue to find innovative ways to fix and repurpose Apple devices that would otherwise be discarded.
https://restofworld.org/2023/underground-apple-techs-cuba/