https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2019/08/apple-offers-customer...
> New Independent Repair Provider Program Expands Genuine Parts Access to More Repair Businesses
> Cupertino, California — Apple today announced a new repair program, offering customers additional options for the most common out-of-warranty iPhone repairs. Apple will provide more independent repair businesses — large or small — with the same genuine parts, tools, training, repair manuals and diagnostics as its Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs). The program is launching in the US with plans to expand to other countries.
> “To better meet our customers’ needs, we’re making it easier for independent providers across the US to tap into the same resources as our Apple Authorized Service Provider network,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “When a repair is needed, a customer should have confidence the repair is done right. We believe the safest and most reliable repair is one handled by a trained technician using genuine parts that have been properly engineered and rigorously tested.”
For "most common out-of-warranty iPhone repairs" I'd bet they're talking about batteries and screens. Especially alongside the recent "battery health" change where it only gives stats for Apple's batteries.
I've been recommended them before, it's not unimaginable, and no, they generally don't send it to Apple (source: a good friend who works at London Drugs, which has a fairly good Apple-authorized computer shop inside of its various locations in Canada). If the laptop itself isn't serviceable (e.g. rare things like diagnosed catastrophic mainboard failure) they will just replace it from repair stock if it's under warranty. The top case / keyboard IS serviceable by most third party outlets to my understanding.
In the past 5 or so years, however, Apple has consistently been killing their 3rd party repair eco system, as well documented by Louis Rossmann. The idea that they may recommend a 3rd party repair source seems unimaginable, but further, most 3rd party repair basically involves sending the package to Apple repair anyways, as they’re not allowed to make changes on their own for anything but a small subset of issues.