This has been a banner year for the right-to-restoration movement, with supportive bills signed into law in the United States and abroad. Apple also shocked the world when it supported California’s bill and urged the enactment of similar legislation nationwide. In the European Union, regulators have mandated the use of USB-C as the standard charging socket for most small devices and are now turning their attention to anti-fix tactics. But while the leaders of this movement should enjoy a glass or two of the good stuff, these victories, hard-won as they are, are not the whole story. To misquote Winston Churchill, this is not the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning.
Last year, we saw bills enacted in New York, Colorado, Minnesota, and California. New York’s law has been watered down by recent political activity, with some key provisions weakened. These include protection for existing equipment (in contrast, it takes effect for hardware manufactured after July 1, 2023), an obligation to provide individual parts rather than bundled parts, and the now omitted protection for enterprise-level electronics such as school and Any coverage for electronics used in hospitals). Minnesota survives with more strength despite generous spinoffs to manufacturers of farm equipment, gaming machines and automobiles.
Interestingly, the California bill, which goes into effect next year, won support from Apple, with the company saying it would support its provisions nationwide. Given this support, you should expect to see this bill serve as a model for any future federal legislation. It broadly covers consumer technology and appliances, but excludes gaming consoles and security equipment. Key terms require the company to sell parts to car owners and third-party repair shops on “fair and reasonable terms” long after the last model leaves the factory. Devices with wholesale prices between $50 and $99.99 require parts, tools and repair instructions at least three years after the last new model was produced. For gear costing more than $100, the parts need to be kept for “at least seven years,” regardless of individual warranties. Likewise, tools and documentation need to be available on similar platforms. "fair and reasonable" Base. While there are some exceptions, including protection of trade secrets and source code, the skeleton of the bill is solid enough.
Elizabeth Chamberlain, Director of Sustainability at iFixit, told Engadget that this is the “strongest” bill ever passed in the United States and one of the most comprehensive. (Given that little replacement legislation has been enacted, this is not a compliment.) The requirement that parts remain available for an extended period of time after purchase ensures that “people can get the repair materials they need when they need them.” Not to mention enabling independent repair shops to obtain “original parts for a variety of products without having to sign up for intrusive and restrictive manufacturer programs.” Nathan Proctor of the Public Interest Research Group on the bill’s passage It has previously been said that the bill would also end the onerous conditions Apple uses in its independent repair program. An Engadget investigation revealed that while Apple’s IRP may seem like a good idea on the surface, it’s riddled with hidden fees and restrictive covenants. While the iPhone 14 has won praise for being easier to repair than its predecessor, it also uses part pairing — the process of locking a part to a specific device, preventing users from replacing it without the manufacturer’s approval. Unfortunately, California’s bill also does nothing to prevent part pairing, which may explain why it won over Apple in the first place.
Over the past few years, the EU has taken on the role of primary regulator of big tech companies, despite much criticism. The group has now made it mandatory for a universal charger, USB-C, for all mobile devices sold by the end of 2024 and for all laptops by the spring of 2026. In November, regulators began looking at ways to encourage repairs and refurbishments rather than replacement with new equipment. This includes the right for people to receive spare parts, documentation and tools at a “reasonable cost” – even if the equipment is out of warranty. What’s more, the draft is intended to prevent manufacturers from using “contracts, hardware or software techniques” to block repairs that appear to indicate matching parts.
Anyone feeling triumphant about these victories should remember that these provisions provide technology companies with broad freedoms. Last year, Apple allowed end users to repair their own devices, but not in a way that was easy, affordable or worthwhile.as New York Times It turns out that replacing components requires a flight case full of factory-grade hardware and a hefty deposit. It’s better now, but you still have to pay to borrow high-end gear and bear the risk of losing any of it.
Likewise, these bills don’t prevent companies from pre-programming replacements when you visit a store. After a bicycle accident this summer, the front and back glass of my iPhone 11 Pro Max was shattered, but it was otherwise usable. Sadly, my local Genius Bar told me the only thing I could do was…buy a replacement at full price. Before we mention the iPhone 15, the iPhone 15 is still riddled with parts pairings, despite Apple’s promise of easier repairs. This means that, despite all the sweet talk about sustainability over the past few years, you can still only get a partial fix with direct and explicit support from Apple. As Elizabeth Chamberlain said, “Upselling is a widespread problem and difficult to stop,” but she noted that the EU may have a solution. Its draft rules would “require manufacturers to provide repairs before replacement, as long as they are cheap” (for consumers).
Upton Sinclair once wrote that if a man’s salary depends on a man not understanding something, he will not master it. After all, the tech industry is organized on the principle of selling you a new piece of gear every few years to keep profits high. Extending the life of equipment is bad for their bottom line (at least in the short term), which explains their resistance. That’s why, while we hope for better terms and more repairable devices, we must also be wary of not settling for less. The risk is that people have the right to repair their equipment but no way to actually exercise it.
This article originally appeared on Engadget: https://www.engadget.com/the-right-to-repair-movement-won-its-biggest-victories-in-2023-143010331.html?src=rss
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