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Greenpeace Combats Planned Obsolescence in New Repairability Campaign, iPad and MacBook Score Low
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Funny how those "planned obsolescence" products actually last longer than all those crap other thick supposedly fixable products. The Ipad2 is a workhorse and once you change the battery its ready for another 4-5 years.
Even if you were able to fix the internals for 30 years, would you? Does anyone really have a TV from 1990 in active use. In our own house, the oldest electronics are about 30 years old and mostly relegated to garages and or cottages, for occasional use.
In the case of Apple, the only thing that can truly force you to not use a device would be a major software vulnerability in a non supported device like the Ipad2 (cause you're not going to get software updates forever). Still, this device would be usable in your home wifi network, or with WIFI or bluetooth off as a completely isolated non wifi device.
Even if you were able to fix the internals for 30 years, would you? Does anyone really have a TV from 1990 in active use. In our own house, the oldest electronics are about 30 years old and mostly relegated to garages and or cottages, for occasional use.
In the case of Apple, the only thing that can truly force you to not use a device would be a major software vulnerability in a non supported device like the Ipad2 (cause you're not going to get software updates forever). Still, this device would be usable in your home wifi network, or with WIFI or bluetooth off as a completely isolated non wifi device.
We do lots of repairs. Latest is the entire LCD went out on our 2013 27" imac. Geez, they combine the glass and lcd together. It is currently sitting on our ping pong table in pieces while hubby tries to justify spending $500 on another LG lcd that could go bad. We spent $2100, you'd think it would last maybe 4 years?
How can they call out planned obsolescence on an iPhone, a device where Apple continually makes software updates for them, years and years after release in an effort to keep them up to date and in use. Then on the flip side, you have Android.
Just because iFixIt say it's hard to repair, doesn't mean that Apple can't repair it.
Just because iFixIt say it's hard to repair, doesn't mean that Apple can't repair it.
Maybe someone should explain to you that a Close Loop Supply Chain has nothing to do with Greenpeace's complaint about repairability.What a bunch of tools (pun intended) ... maybe somebody should explain to them "Closed Loop Supply Chain". SMH.
https://www.apple.com/environment/resources/
Your argument doesn't fit the subject matter.Switching gears: Greenpeace's linked petition specifically calls out Apple, Samsung, and LG regarding their repairability. Not sure why they called out LG when all of LG's products have good repairability scores; the lowest being a 5/10 which is definitely repairable. If you're going to criticize Greenpeace for anything, I'd say criticize them for the lack of understanding that even if every tech product had a 7/10 or higher repairability score, the vast majority of consumers would still do as they do today: discard and buy new. It's what we do. Ironically, the most effective impact on the environment is going to come from manufacturer programs like a Closed Loop Supply Chain. Although it's the most effective avenue it's still not an answer to the questions being asked by Greenpeace on the subject of repair.
Apple builds it's devices with recyclable materials and idiotic to think that a 'reparability' score should drive their manufacturing methods? These people need to be recycled themselves.
Your issue is with the A5X, not the software. The hardware just wasn't capable enough to handle the OS becoming more resource intensive.
I respect Apple for not going legacy with software updates and I also respect that the A7 and up processors are handling updates extremely well. My 5S and iPad 4, with its weathered 32-bit A6X, have handled iOS 10 without issue and I even saw increases in performance in certain metrics.
Apple did you wrong, because the iPad 3 was flawed from a hardware perspective. That is on them, but the last 4-5 years have been pretty damn solid in terms of Apple hardware working with software updates. I would grab the new affordable iPad 9.7 and call it a day.
this is BS. just because iFixIt and the average person can't fix these items doesn't mean that they can't be fixed. Apple does repairs on all their iPhones and computers all the time. and in many cases it's just one or two parts within the unit, not a swap. Heck i dropped off 3 iPhones from my companies stash that were not turning on and they were sent out to a service center that replaced the logic boards. they were all 6s and 7 models so I don't know if earlier ones can be repaired like that but it shows that Apple is aware of unfriendliness of not having some means of doing such a major part in a phone.
and there is zero proof that Apple is just trashing dead parts. rather than recycling as much of the material as possible.
and there is zero proof that Apple is just trashing dead parts. rather than recycling as much of the material as possible.
No one forced you to upgrade. It is no secret that upgraded software carries an increased demand of hardware. As a consumer, it would behoove you to study about the products you consume.
Even if iPhone was easily repaired, you think people buy a new phone because their old one is broken? This speaks volume of how naive environmentalists are, boiling huge issues down to one trivial fixation.
Also why attack the phone industry when the automobile industry is rampant with this kind of "phenomenon". I mean people are getting new cars every 2 years on leases these days. The energy and resources that go into a new car are significantly more then a phone, and few people today buy a car because their old one "broke" down in spite of cars being significantly easier to repair then a thin piece of highly integrated electronics in a device.
However, I do agree that Apple purposely makes older products work less well over time. After the newest iPad Pro 10.5 inch release, and the iOS update that followed, my iPad Air 2 suddenly, and coincidentally, doesn't work well. Internet connectivity is slower, and I frequently get sporadic loss of WiFi. Same home network no other devices are dropping out and have fast internet access, and my iPad Air 2 USED to work well just a few weeks ago...there is no reason for the iPad to loose my WiFi password and when I try to reconnect I have to enter the same password 3 times before it takes. I expect a progression of usability and performance issues to occur as Apple slowly deprecates older products to drive up profitability, and this is ******, greedy, and should be an illegal practice.
So, while Greenpeace may be a little misguided in their ever naive fixation on saving the planet with rhetoric, their motivations are grounded in reality. There is no reason for software to make a product work poorer then it used to just to make people want to upgrade to a newer device. But the idea of having an access panel on a thick mobile device just to swap out some component or battery to make it last longer is silly because all it takes is some new shiny design change or superfluous marketing drivel to drive people to rush out and buy a new phone, or car, or even a home these days, on a whim. The only way to stop this is to make marketing illegal.
Also why attack the phone industry when the automobile industry is rampant with this kind of "phenomenon". I mean people are getting new cars every 2 years on leases these days. The energy and resources that go into a new car are significantly more then a phone, and few people today buy a car because their old one "broke" down in spite of cars being significantly easier to repair then a thin piece of highly integrated electronics in a device.
However, I do agree that Apple purposely makes older products work less well over time. After the newest iPad Pro 10.5 inch release, and the iOS update that followed, my iPad Air 2 suddenly, and coincidentally, doesn't work well. Internet connectivity is slower, and I frequently get sporadic loss of WiFi. Same home network no other devices are dropping out and have fast internet access, and my iPad Air 2 USED to work well just a few weeks ago...there is no reason for the iPad to loose my WiFi password and when I try to reconnect I have to enter the same password 3 times before it takes. I expect a progression of usability and performance issues to occur as Apple slowly deprecates older products to drive up profitability, and this is ******, greedy, and should be an illegal practice.
So, while Greenpeace may be a little misguided in their ever naive fixation on saving the planet with rhetoric, their motivations are grounded in reality. There is no reason for software to make a product work poorer then it used to just to make people want to upgrade to a newer device. But the idea of having an access panel on a thick mobile device just to swap out some component or battery to make it last longer is silly because all it takes is some new shiny design change or superfluous marketing drivel to drive people to rush out and buy a new phone, or car, or even a home these days, on a whim. The only way to stop this is to make marketing illegal.
Maybe those "people" should start thinking for themselves then and stop buying stuff.
But taking responsibility for your own actions seems hard...
What is the point? Who cares what's the score of repairability given the product in a large scale durable?
I have an original ipad that still running good. If it goes down, there are so many 3rd party repair service on the market.
I don't even care if it scored 0.
I have an original ipad that still running good. If it goes down, there are so many 3rd party repair service on the market.
I don't even care if it scored 0.
There is a reason, eventually screw loosens and things fall apart or start to rattle.
Also, to put a screw on, you need some structural change to the case or parts that limits which one can fit.
Routing/fitting various parts is extremely tight in there.
It's the combination of multiple engineering demands, not just one, that leads to glue.
Those kind of issues point to restoring the device. I am running a generation older than yours with the latest software and ZERO problems.
Exactly. A product that is built to last does not need to be easily repairable. It is less prone to obsolescence than a poorly-made product that's relatively easy to fix but is more likely to break and be discarded when it might have otherwise remained in service.
Because there's nothing to get. If Greenpeace is interested in waste stream issues then they need to study how long comparable products remain in service, not how easily they can be repaired. The latter is not a stand-in for the former.
I'm confused, how can Apple be the best environmental company in the world according this Greenpeace but have its products rank dead last in terms of their rankings? Are all the other companies just that much worse?
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You do know that the definition of keeping products in service means being able to repaired and keep them functioning and usable! If they cannot be serviced then then will no longer be in service!
Not a big fan of Greenpeace, but Apple needs to be called on this and making it politically incorrect for Apple to operate this way is the only driver that Apple understands. Apple is the King of political correctness, when it suits them. Lets see how they react to this?
Doesn't need your "help". It is a legitimate argument.
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https://www.apple.com/environment/ get back to me when you have overcome being a victim of click-bait.
Public sentiment is against them. Sooner or later they will have to respond to the various right to repair bills making it through the various states. They may very well be forced to address some of these issues, especially in things like laptops that people expect to last a bit longer than a phone.
Or use this research as a factor in your decision making. In the end that is what reports like this provide - a decision making aid if you will.
Not really. It is far better for the environment to keep a device functioning as long as possible.
Greenpeace has been planned obsolete.
My 2004 PowerBook still does a lot of good stuff--dvd playing and ripping, word processing, emailing, lower-end computing. It's far from worthless, and might never be until it conks out.
HEY HEY!!! Don't get crazy, now, hear?
My 2004 PowerBook still does a lot of good stuff--dvd playing and ripping, word processing, emailing, lower-end computing. It's far from worthless, and might never be until it conks out.