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Apple, HP, and Honeywell are lobbying against a bill in the Nevada statehouse that would require electronic hardware manufacturers to provide device schematics, device parts, and instructions to third-party repair shops for device repairs, according to the Associated Press.

apple-independent-repair-program.jpg

The bill being contemplated in Nevada is one of many bills that states across the US are considering to put into law. The global health crisis has placed a higher emphasis on work and learning from home, requiring increased reliance on laptops and tablets, which sometimes need repairs.

Specifically, the bill would require Apple and others to directly provide independent third-party repair shops with the parts, instructions, and schematics to repair devices less than $5,000. With that price threshold, most Apple products such as iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and many Macs would be subject to the bill.

The bill aims to remove the requirement for customers to go to authorized dealers for repairs by allowing them to use smaller independent repair shops as well. Apple has long faced pressure to expand accessibility to device parts and schematics, and it's previously put up battles to maintain its tight control over device repairs.

Cameron Demetre, the regional executive director of TechNet, a trading group representing Apple, HP, and Honeywell in committee hearings on the bill, says that his clients are concerned about the potential exposure that third-party repair shops will have to personal users' data when repairing devices. Demetre warns that opening up repair access and freedom could lead to "unintended consequences."
Cameron Demetre, the organization's regional executive director, said manufacturers worried about "unvetted third parties" having access to the personal information stored in consumer electronics. He said the bill had "the potential for troubling unintended consequences, including serious adverse security, privacy, and safety risks."
In a bid to ease the pressure, in 2019, Apple introduced its Independent Repair Provider program, which provides repair shops with direct access to device parts, tools, manuals, and diagnostic information for out-of-warranty devices. The program initially started in the United States and Canada, but yesterday Apple announced it would be expanding the program internationally.

The significant expansion of the program opens the door for thousands of repair shops to obtain direct resources from Apple instead of relying on other providers, which can sometimes provide non-genuine parts or incorrect device information. Given the close timing of the Nevada bill and the expansion of the independent repair provider program, it's unclear whether the international expansion will have an impact on state legislature stances.

Article Link: Apple Lobbies Against 'Right to Repair' Bill Over Privacy Concerns of Third Party Repair Shops Accessing User Data
 
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Shanghaichica

macrumors G5
Apr 8, 2013
14,616
13,106
UK
I can see two sides here. I don’t think the OEM should be required to supply parts and repair instructions to third parties.

However at the same time I think the excuse about privacy and data is ridiculous. The customer has a right to make a choice about any potential risks to their own data and privacy.
 

AppleGuy RL

macrumors newbie
Apr 1, 2009
15
54
Hypocrites. When handing in my MacBook or iPhone at an Apple Premium Reseller that allows for "repairs" they always REQUIRE me to give them my passcode or set up an admin account without a password. With independent repair you explicitly have to give the repairs people this information before they can access anything, unless those secure encryption methods that Apple always boasts about aren't true. Not to mention Apple's independent repair program which REQUIRES the independent repair shop to gather name, address and other information from the customer and hand it over to Apple before they'll send in any parts.
 

The_Gream

macrumors regular
Jul 16, 2020
191
473
The only issues I have with right to repair is those people who op to fix something themselves or have Joe Moe Mama’s Basement repair Shop do it and it turns into a crappy repair job and then have to read about their smear campaign against hardware/tech companies on Facebook or Twitter. Let alone MacRumors will be linking that crap for clicks ?
 

ksec

macrumors 68020
Dec 23, 2015
2,204
2,544
I think Apple's beginning to overplay that "because privacy" card.
Finally. Hopefully this will propagate to wider audience.

At least they are finally opening up those third party repairs and Battery replacement. ( All while earning extra profits on replacement parts supplied to these third party )
 
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swingerofbirch

macrumors 68040
What b-o-l-o-g-n-a.

When you send your device for repair to Apple, it does not go to Apple.

It goes to whichever contractor is currently giving Apple the best deal.

Your data is safer, if that's your concern, with a local store you know than the actual unvetted, third party contractors Apple uses for repairs.

Even if you bring it to an Apple Store, for a lot of repairs Apple is going to send it out. And when they send it out, they are not sending it to a pristine laboratory of "geniuses." Not even to Apple employees.

It's beyond bologna.
 

ksec

macrumors 68020
Dec 23, 2015
2,204
2,544
It's my data, my security, don't make my decisions for me. Heck, I literally just bought a dang M1 Macbook Pro, and now I read this lol. Do they want me to return it?

Well the normal response on MR seems to be if you dont like Apple making those decision for you, such as banning Apps that do not comply with their view of the world, No Apps should contain COVID information in their search box, or anything against Chinese Government, you should just leave the Apple platform and use Android.

Also want to add if they have been doing their job actually servicing their customers on repair none of these and support for repair bill would have happened.
 
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jdavid_rp

macrumors regular
Feb 25, 2020
230
697
Why the $5000 limit? Doesn't seem particularly logical to me.

Why just electronics? Why not fridges, washing machines, boats, cars and everything else?
AFAIK home appliances like fridges and washing machines are already obliged to provide a manual and a way to buy parts, at least in Europe. Also I think there are no problems for car parts too, as there are a lot of websites selling them
 

jlc1978

macrumors 603
Aug 14, 2009
5,431
4,183
AFAIK home appliances like fridges and washing machines are already obliged to provide a manual and a way to buy parts, at least in Europe.

Most are also relatively repairable compared to electronics. When I had a valve go bad in my washer it was easy to order a replacement and swap it out.

Also I think there are no problems for car parts too, as there are a lot of websites selling them

The problem with car repairs is the onboard computers are making simple swaps more difficult unless you have special tools. BMW, for example, requires reprograming when a battery is changed, in order for the charging cycle to properly charge a new battery. It'll run fine without doing so, but the supposed risk is shorter battery life. Upgrading, such as when I installed a factory bluetooth setup in my BMW, requires reprogramming the build data as well. So the parts are available, but repairs are not always straightforward.
 

subjonas

macrumors 603
Feb 10, 2014
5,523
5,831
Specifically, the bill would require Apple and others to directly provide independent third-party repair shops with the parts, instructions, and schematics to repair devices less than $5,000. With that price threshold, most Apple products such as iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and many Macs would be subject to the bill.
Great, now Apple will raise all prices for all devices to $5000.
 

FlunkedFlank

macrumors member
Sep 21, 2012
69
23
Hypocrites. When handing in my MacBook or iPhone at an Apple Premium Reseller that allows for "repairs" they always REQUIRE me to give them my passcode or set up an admin account without a password. With independent repair you explicitly have to give the repairs people this information before they can access anything, unless those secure encryption methods that Apple always boasts about aren't true. Not to mention Apple's independent repair program which REQUIRES the independent repair shop to gather name, address and other information from the customer and hand it over to Apple before they'll send in any parts.
Exactly!! You always have to give admin access to every device whether iOS or Mac, so what difference does it make? This is a blatant lie.

Anyone reading this should watch Luis Rossman on YouTube. He’s leading the charge against this. Apple does devious things, like forcing third party makers of logic board components to not sell those parts to others. We’re talking minor little ICs that anyone should be allowed to solder on for eg liquid damage repair.
 

subjonas

macrumors 603
Feb 10, 2014
5,523
5,831
The main thing for me is make the battery, the only component with guaranteed short lifespan (extremely short in smaller devices), easily and cheaply replaceable. It’s ludicrous for customers and the environment for that not to be the case. As for other repairs, I don’t have the energy to fight.
 

FlunkedFlank

macrumors member
Sep 21, 2012
69
23
Why the $5000 limit? Doesn't seem particularly logical to me.

Why just electronics? Why not fridges, washing machines, boats, cars and everything else?
Probably to avoid the wrath of John Deere and Tesla, for now. Nevada picking its battles, which is the smart thing to do. Better strategy to improve its chance of passing and potentially expand down the line.
 
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UK-MacAddict

macrumors 6502a
May 11, 2010
977
1,160
I always go direct to the manufacturer for repairs. You get better warranty coverage and official parts. Also it just sits better in my mind.
 

robertcoogan

macrumors 6502a
Apr 5, 2008
832
1,215
Joshua Tree, California
I can - just barely (so distant on the horizon now) - see Apple's argument. But part of the problem here is Apple's tendency to design products that are difficult to fix to begin with. It's gotten to the point where one wants to dealerproof their Apple product, and one can't - because how do you dealerproof a glue bomb with microscopic screws?
 
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