Oregon's New Right to Repair Law Bans 'Parts Pairing' Restrictions

[MacRumors]

Oregon this week signed a Right to Repair bill into law, and it is notable because it is the first such law that puts a stop to the practice of parts pairing. Manufacturers like Apple are not able to require customers to use Apple-sourced parts that then have to be authenticated, with the bill giving Apple device owners the right to use new parts, used parts, or third-party parts.

Apple has launched repair tools for both independent repair shops and consumers, but repair components must be purchased directly from Apple. Components must be paired with a device serial number after being installed, which prevents unauthorized repairs that use third-party components. The bill states that companies cannot reduce the performance of a device or display misleading warnings for parts that are not properly paired.

According to repair site iFixit, Oregon's Right to Repair law is the strongest that has been passed to date. It does have consumer protections, such as requiring independent repair shops to have a "valid and unexpired certification" ensuring the person doing the repair has the "technical capabilities and competence necessary" to make a successful fix.

The elimination of the parts pairing restriction will allow independent repair shops to make more repairs without having to rely solely on components from Apple.

In addition to preventing manufacturers from requiring components to be free from pairing restrictions, the law requires companies to make parts, tools, documentation, and software available for smartphones produced in 2021 or later. For other electronics like computers, it is applicable to devices produced in 2015 and later.

Apple did not support Oregon's Right to Repair bill, and the company has said that it will result in safety and security issues for consumers. Apple will need to comply with the parts pairing portion of the bill for products made after January 1, 2025.

Article Link: Oregon's New Right to Repair Law Bans 'Parts Pairing' Restrictions

 

[ric22]

Good to see anti-repair, anti-consumer, anti-environment crap getting stamped out! The only potential downside is theft for parts- Apple need to find a way to digitally stamp the parts so they can see where they ended up.

 

[Darren.h]

Great! Go after Apple for requiring Apple Serialized Parts used in Apple iPhone and Mac Repairs

It sucks.

 

[PixelsMaster]

The bill has benefits, but buyers deserve to know if a used phone has original (OEM) parts or replacements. It could be a simple screen on the setup menu.

 

[NT1440]

Cool, the NSA’s TAO division is going to be thrilled.

Yay for ensuring supply chain infiltration will always be an avenue for spying.

 

[now i see it]

“Safety Security and profit issues”

 

[AdamNC]

Let the complaining of “My eBay parts ruined my phone” and blaming Apple for it start.

 

[AlmightyKang]

Note to self: NEVER buy a second hand Apple device ever again.

 

[NoSoup4U]

Cool, the NSA’s TAO division is going to be thrilled.

Yay for ensuring supply chain infiltration will always be an avenue for spying.

Intelligence services everywhere are thrilled.

Phone taken at customs, hack installed while you wait.

Visiting China is going to be even more fun.

 

[mdriftmeyer]

Don't pretend to sue Apple if the installed non-OEM parts fail. This reminds me of the auto industry after market cash grab by custom third party OEMs outside of original manufacturing and then owners sue the manufacture of the car and attempt class action suits when those parts do damage to their vehicles.

The moment anyone goes third party that Apple Warranty should be voided and a new warranty by the third party repair shop should kick in.

 

[vicviper789]

Good, put John deere and apple in their places

 

[NT1440]

Intelligence services everywhere are thrilled.

Phone taken at customs, hack installed while you wait.

Visiting China is going to be even more fun.

or visiting the US for a vacation if you happen to be Chinese, Russian, etc.

 

[MacProFCP]

This is another nail in the coffin for the way Apple does business.

I wish they’d lead the industry instead of holding on for dear life.

With so many smart people there, why can’t they find a way to rethink how they profitize this stuff?

The world is decentralizing technology and Apple has an amazing opportunity to lead this change. I’m not suggesting any specific action but it’s obvious that within three years Apple will be forced to do the following:

Open iMessage to Android
Support RCS
Allow direct iPhone app downloads
Provide choice for Apple competing Apps
Allow anyone to repair any device however they want

If Apple would lead the change they would be seen as supportive of individual rights. Instead, Apple is seen as putting profits above all else…including privacy.

 

[Scott6666]

So Apple will stop selling iPhones in Oregon. Cool.

 

[NT1440]

Good, put John deere and apple in their places

There is a world of difference between John Deere requiring a technician to Enter a code to change an oil filter, And Apple ensuring that a component like a camera or wifi chip doesn’t have a hardware exploit inserted by an intelligence agency in the supply chain.

And that’s not an outlandish example. Every country with an intelligence agency has departments dedicated to doing exactly that kind of thing.

NSA Hacker Chief Explains How to Keep Him Out of Your System

The nation's hacker-in-chief took up the ironic task at the Enigma Conference in San Francisco.

www.wired.com

That’s the reality of why Apple encrypts the data traffic across components. People want to pretend that repairs are somehow a lucrative business model for Apple when it’s a rounding error in terms of revenue.

Tech illiterate lawmakers are just bowing to the pressure from these influences in The same way the FBI for years insisted it wasn’t *technically impossible* for it to ask Apple for a backdoor to encryption just for “the good guys”.

 

[ethanwa79]

Cool, the NSA’s TAO division is going to be thrilled.

Yay for ensuring supply chain infiltration will always be an avenue for spying.

LOL thinking Apple’s serial number pairing actually stopped the NSA?

I promise you it’s a non-issue for them.

 

[klasma]

Note to self: NEVER buy a second hand Apple device ever again.

Good, they’ll be cheaper for me then.

 

[MacProFCP]

Intelligence services everywhere are thrilled.

Phone taken at customs, hack installed while you wait.

Visiting China is going to be even more fun.

Why would you ever visit China willingly? Why take the chance of disappearing permanently simply because you googled Tibet?

 

[apparatchik]

Good to see anti-repair, anti-consumer, anti-environment crap getting stamped out! The only potential downside is theft for parts- Apple need to find a way to digitally stamp the parts so they can see where they ended up.

So, exactly how it works now.

 

[klasma]

Phone taken at customs, hack installed while you wait.

Apple could easily alert about a change in parts, using the very same mechanism they currently use to enforce pairing. But security is only incidentally Apple’s concern here.

 

[erikkfi]

Cool, the NSA’s TAO division is going to be thrilled.

Yay for ensuring supply chain infiltration will always be an avenue for spying.

It’s not just the NSA that will be thrilled in .01% of cases but the average consumer in the other 99.9% of cases. Weird omission but I’m glad to help you out!

 

[LavaLevel]

Why is it always Apple? How come people don't go after DELL for selling absolute trash? Can't people just leave Apple alone and if you want to fix your broken computer, Dude get a DELL.

 

[klasma]

The moment anyone goes third party that Apple Warranty should be voided and a new warranty by the third party repair shop should kick in.

Of course, that’s how it’s always been with any devices. You say this as if it would be unusual.

 

[jarman92]

This is another nail in the coffin for the way Apple does business.

I wish they lead the industry instead of holding on for dear life.

With so many smart people there, why can’t they find a way to rethink how they profitize this stuff.

The world is decentralizing technology and Apple has an amazing opportunity to lead this change. I’m not suggesting any specific action but it’s obvious that within three years Apple will be forced to do the following:

Open iMessage to Android
Allow direct iPhone downloads
Provide choice for Apple competing Apps
Allow anyone to repair any device however they want to

If Apple would lead the change they would be seen as being there for the individual rights. Instead, Apple is seen as putting profits above all else…including privacy.

Apple’s repair policies have nothing to do with profits and everything to do with control. Apple does not make significant profits from repairs. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if they broke even or lost money all things considered.

 

[jarman92]

Of course, that’s how it’s always been with any devices. You say this as if it would be unusual.

It would be. Apple doesn’t void your warranty if you have a third-party screen installed, for example. They won’t fix the screen and they won’t fix damage caused by a bad installation (for free, at least), but they’ll still repair your device if possible.