Right to repair

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Rep. Joe Morelle Introduces Right to Repair Legislation in House of Representatives

Charlotte Henry ·

National right to repair legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives on Thursday. It could compel firms to provide repair details and resources to both users and third-party technicians, AppleInsider reported.

Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY) on Thursday introduced the Fair Repair Act, which requires device manufacturers to provide diagnostic and repair information, parts, and tools to third-party repair shops “in a timely manner and on fair and reasonable terms.” Additionally, the bill would allow the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to carry out enforcement by penalizing violators. The goal, according to Rep. Morelle’s office, is to empower small businesses and consumers to be self-reliant in the ability to fix their own devices without needing to go through official manufacturer or authorized repair channels.

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France Labels Electronics With Repairability Scores

Andrew Orr ·

France has become the first country to label electronics with a score of how repairable they are.

This means MEPs have called on the European Commission to grant consumers a ‘right to repair’ by making repairs more attractive, systematic and cost effective, whether by extending warranties, providing warranties for replaced parts, or better access to repair and maintenance information.

I’m curious to see what kind of scores Apple products receive. Zero? One?

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Apple Locks New iPhone Batteries to Each Model

Andrew Orr ·

With a special chip on the battery, Apple is locking down new iPhone batteries to prevent third-party repairs. Instead, you’ll have to go to an Apple store or an authorized repair center.

iFixit reports that replacing a battery in the iPhone XR, XS, or XS Max generates a “service” message saying the phone is “unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple battery.” The phone will also not display any battery health readings.

The change is due to the chip on the battery itself. In addition to being able to relay information about battery cycles and temperature to the phone, the chips on the newer iPhone models also have an authentication feature for pairing with a specific phone.

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We Are Digital Renters of Our Own Objects

Andrew Orr ·

I thought this was an interesting angle in the “Our technology controls” us narrative. It’s the idea that we are sort of digital renters of our technology.

Today, we may think we own things because we paid for them and brought them home, but as long as they run software or have digital connectivity, the sellers continue to have control over the product. We are renters of our own objects, there by the grace of the true owner.

 

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Ting Mobile Launches Right to Repair Campaign

Andrew Orr ·

Ting Mobile is launching a right to repair campaign, and released a survey called ‘Epic Phone Fails’ showing that 78% aren’t aware they have a right to repair their devices.

One of the least surprising results from the survey is that 78% of people have never heard of ‘Right to Repair,’ which is the sometimes contested right for people to repair the things they own without being required to go through the item’s manufacturer. We are encouraged by the opportunity to make consumers more aware of the options they have when it comes to repairing their smartphones.

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iFixit: We Are All Geniuses, Advocates Right to Repair

Andrew Orr ·

Writing for iFixit, Kay Kay Clapp advocates for the right to repair devices and says we are all geniuses.

If all this feels a bit dystopian, take heart! Thanks to repair advocates and brave netizens around the world, the tide is starting to change. This year, Right to Repair legislation has been successfully introduced in 18 states. The movement continues to spread—and for the first time, European repair allies have introduced their own version of repair legislation.

I think it’s nice that people can repair their devices, but it can also be a security risk. If it’s easy for you to repair, it’s easy for bad guys to “repair” and put hardware implants into your device.