Apple Planning to Fight Proposed 'Right to Repair' Legislation

[MacRumors]

Apple is preparing to fight proposed "Right to Repair" legislation proposed in the Nebraska state legislature, reports Motherboard. The legislation aims to make it easier for both customers and indie repair shops to repair electronics, similar to how car repair works.

Nebraska is one of eight states considering such legislation. In addition to Nebraska, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Kansas and Massachusetts are working on similar bills. Last week, Illinois and Tennessee introduced laws in the same vein. Nebraska, thus far, is the only state to schedule a hearing for the proposed legislation.

A source tells Motherboard that Apple will send either a representative, staffer or lobbyist to argue against the law at the hearing, which is scheduled for March 9 in Lincoln, Nebraska. One of the arguments Apple intends to put forth is that allowing customers to repair their own phones could result in lithium batteries catching fire.

Apple has successfully lobbied against similar bills in the past. Last year, a bill headed through New York's state legislature was killed due to, in part, lobbying from Apple and IBM.

A "Right to Repair" law would require Apple and other manufacturers to sell repair parts to consumers and independent repair shops and make diagnostic and service manuals available to the public. Currently, Apple runs the Apple Authorized Service Provider Program, which requires businesses to let Apple review their financial records, maintain high levels of customer service, establish a credit line with Apple, and promote AppleCare.

Article Link: Apple Planning to Fight Proposed 'Right to Repair' Legislation

 

[zorinlynx]

I hope they lose. I hope they lose HARD. We all should be able to repair our own stuff.

I agree with Apple on a lot of things but their stance on end-users repairing their own property has always been something I have a problem with.

 

[budselectjr]

Does Apple have repair manuals available to residents of Massachusetts? I know car companies and others are required to in that state because of a law they have.

 

[realeric]

Apple need to sell genuine parts to customers, especially battery & screen.

 

[scottct1]

I must agree, I hope Apple loses here. I have a $900 computer in my hands, I should be able to fix it if I want if it is out of Warranty.

 

[pika2000]

I think there's a similar thing going on with car manufacturers right? I don't remember if that was concluded or not.

 

[DoctorKrabs]

Last time Apple tried defending their stance on this, they said that making a dead MacBook work again makes it into a "PC" and that it is "not a real Mac" if it has its board repaired to work when it didn't before. As if it matters for out-of-warranty Macs that what was dead is made working again.

I don't use the word often, but Apple's defense is what many call "retarded".

 

[pika2000]

I must agree, I hope Apple loses here. I have a $900 computer in my hands, I should be able to fix it if I want if it is out of Warranty.

I don't think Apple forbade you from fixing your stuff yourself, that is if you can actually do it.

The proposed rule here is to force manufacturers, including Apple, to sell the components to anybody, not just their authorized service providers. I can understand any companies being wary of this. Imagine if random Chinese companies can get a hold off Apple's original parts easily.

 

[Cougarcat]

For a company that pretends to be so environmentally friendly, they should be embracing repairability.

 

[aaronhead14]

Well of course they are. Apple wants to monopolize the reparation of their devices so they can overcharge and make more money, rather than actually care for their customers.

 

[pat500000]

I'm all for right to repair...so Apple needs to fail on this part. No more soldering parts.

 

[now i see it]

Nebraska. Whadya know?
Apple wants to be like John Deere:
Illegal to repair -their- product.

http://modernfarmer.com/2016/07/right-to-repair/

In fact, the craziness of this goes even further: In a 2015 letter to the United States Copyright Office, John Deere, the world’s largest tractor maker, said that the folks who buy tractors don’t own them, not in the way the general public believes “ownership” works. Instead, John Deere said that those who buy tractors are actually purchasing an “implied license for the life of the vehicle to operate the vehicle.”

 

[Cineplex]

Another great reason to not give them any of my $$$

 

[Bubba Satori]

Mounting gun turrets on the walled garden.

 

[coolfactor]

I'm all for right to repair...so Apple needs to fail on this part. No more soldering parts.

I can see both sides. I believe the ultimate solution is for Apple to design their devices in a modular way so that repairs can be made easily, not down to the component level, necessarily, but being able to replace individual modules is a good thing, for consumers and for Apple's own repair shops.

 

[KAZphoto]

What is stopping people from repairing their own products anyway? In addition, even if they did make their OEM parts available to buy, who would buy them/be able to afford them?

 

[pat500000]

I can see both sides. I believe the ultimate solution is for Apple to design their devices in a modular way so that repairs can be made easily, not down to the component level, necessarily, but being able to replace individual modules is a good thing, for consumers and for Apple's own repair shops.

I'm saying this as a pro consumer perspective.

 

[canny]

Tim Cook hates Apple customers more than he hates the Mac.

 

[trifid]

Time to ramp up the soldering: ssd and ram already soldered, next on the list: battery soldering. Delicious stock profits.

 

[zorinlynx]

Time to ramp up the soldering: ssd and ram already soldered, next on the list: battery soldering. Delicious stock profits.

Interestingly, in the original iPhone, the battery WAS soldered in.

Apple stopped doing that because battery replacement is a common repair and tech time costs money.

 

[Carlanga]

For a company that pretends to be so environmentally friendly, they should be embracing repairability.

they do embrace it, just at their shops...

Hope apple loses big time on this.

 

[smacrumon]

The fact that Apple is about to fight this says it all. Disgraceful closed management attempting to curtail customer rights, get rid of the management.
[doublepost=1487132612][/doublepost]

Last time Apple tried defending their stance on this, they said that making a dead MacBook work again makes it into a "PC" and that it is "not a real Mac" if it has its board repaired to work when it didn't before. As if it matters for out-of-warranty Macs that what was dead is made working again.

I don't use the word often, but Apple's defense is what many call "--------".

No, you could have easily used a different word.

 

[Dysnomia]

If they lose they will price replacement parts out of reasonable rates.

 

[JosephAW]

Apple's will just use a heat resistant glue and seal all devices permanently with zero reparability. At least right now you can replace the screen and battery at Apple.
[doublepost=1487133236][/doublepost]Wait until the iPhone X is completely sealed and sourrounded in glass and the only way to repair it is to break it.

 

[miketcool]

This is ludicrous. Apple has a right to sell you a device and limit OEM parts for "home repairability". Why are so many people opposed to technological progress? Can you imagine where we would be if POLITICIANS dictated what repairable meant?

Using adhesives increase the durability and make products smaller and more compact. Why would you think screws, shock mounts, and a ribbon cable are more efficient then directly connecting memory to a board? Everything will be printed at the molecular level someday. Will the same people crying on here be demanding that Apple keep components large enough to be manipulated by pliers and screw drivers?

Absurd. If you want a computer you can repair at home with Craftsman tools, buy a Dell from 1999. No one is stopping you from living in the past.