Right to Repair is a No Brainer
Why is getting your own devices fixed so difficult? Let's talk about the right to repair and why it's still not a thing
If you buy an iPhone, you should be able to do whatever you want with it, right?
Well, sort of. Let me know if this sounds familiar to you:
You break your iPhone screen and want to get it replaced, so you go to Apple’s repair support page and find that you have to go to an Apple store or find an “Authorized Service Provider.” Fine, that’s kind of annoying, but there’s a Best Buy down the road. You look up the prices and realize that it’ll cost you like 60% the cost of a new phone. Hmm, kinda pricey. Maybe you're now considering buying a replacement iPhone screen from Amazon and fixing it yourself, but some more scrolling on the support page and you notice that any mistakes made by an unauthorized provider voids your warranty and you're worried about bricking your phone. You really don't want to be without a phone. Now you’re counting the months and realize that the new iPhone comes out soon! You decide it’s worth dealing with the crack for just a little bit longer and a couple of months later, you’re the proud owner of the latest iPhone. 🥲
All according to Apple's plan; either you spend more than it actually costs to fix your phone or you spend the money on a new one. Apple is obviously not the only company that does this (I’m not actually an Apple hater!); other tech companies like Microsoft do it, medical device manufacturers do it, even tractor companies do it.
While these companies are clearly fighting to keep these practices, more and more consumers are fighting for the right to repair, and that fight just got a lot more real this past week. President Biden signed a tech policy-focused executive order that, among other things, called on the FTC to ban manufacturers from imposing restrictions on how their devices can be repaired. For those of you who drop your phones often, this one’s for you!
History of the Right to Repair
The reason Apple can get away with this is, well, that there’s no rule saying it can’t. It can charge any price it wants for official repairs or parts, as well as create an Authorized Service Provider program with lots of requirements just to join (of the around 1800 authorized service providers, almost 1000 of those are Best Buys), but limit access to the official supplies and documentation needed to repair its devices to only those approved providers. It also means that Apple doesn’t have to help unauthorized providers at all, maybe even sue them for using “counterfeit” (AKA anything-not-purchased-from-Apple-even-though-Apple-won’t-sell-to-you) parts.
So the right to repair is really just that; the right for anyone to repair devices with official parts and documentation. It’s kind of a surprise that this isn’t already a thing. There is some precedent here, though, in the automotive industry. Basically run back the same iPhone example but just imagine it being a car; individual auto shops weren’t able to diagnose issues, and even if they could, they had no access to parts to do the actual fixes. The “right to repair” term actually started in this context, with a Massachusetts auto shop owner fighting for the information needed to fix up the cars that were showing up at his shop. The movement gained momentum, and a bill was proposed at the federal level, but failed due to intense lobbying and opposition by the car manufacturers. It did, however, pass as the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act in Massachusetts in 2012, ultimately making it required for car manufacturers to provide the necessary documents and information to allow anyone to repair its vehicles. Then, a few auto industry trade groups came together and agreed to honor the bill in all 50 states. And that is why cars come with those big fat manuals.
Today’s Right to Repair Movement
The digital version of this fight is well under way, with the number of proposed right to repair bills increasing every year since 2014, and supporters are very much hoping that history repeats itself. Again, lobbying by big companies has been persistent and successful; Apple was able to block a California right to repair bill by arguing that customers could injure themselves repairing their phones. Manufactures also argue that they are behaving in a way that is consistent with capitalism: they’ve created this technology that sets them apart and allows them to create these in-demand products, so they have to right to profit from it. They are afraid that releasing documents and schematics would expose intellectual property and open themselves up to copies and counterfeits.
On the other hand, consistent with other anti-Big Tech legislation, President Biden’s executive order seeks to bring more power to the consumers. However, it’s unclear how the FTC will respond to this order, and with what pace they will act. It’s also important to note that the order only asks the FTC to consider making changes, rather than requiring them. But the FTC recently put together a report on the repair market that concluded that "many consumer products have become harder to fix and maintain," which does slightly sound like a possibility of changes to come.
Regardless of how you feel about the President’s agenda, to me, right to repair has to be a no brainer and it is long overdue. Just from the standpoint of someone who spends the money to buy a phone, laptop, car or tractor, it feels unnecessary and unfair to restrict our options when it stops working. Also, maybe more importantly, from an environmental standpoint, more repairs means longer device lifespans, which means less waste. Climate change is very real, and I see no losers here. Apple can do without a few iPhone sales.
Thanks for reading! I know it's been a while, but as I've been reading the news in the meantime, I was so excited and impressed by my own articles that I just wanted to share how poignant they've been: a few articles ago I tried to explain how inflation works, and just last week, the inflation rate reached its highest level since 2008. Then, I wrote about the treatment of college athletes, and just a few months later, the NCAA passed regulations allowing student-athletes to profit off of their name, image, and likeness. And even my blockchain and housing articles are staying relevant as cryptocurrencies and the real estate market have become mainstays in the headlines. I’m super happy that some of the topics I’m picking are actually relevant, not just because I found them interesting and told you that they are. I hope to continue highlighting important and under-the-radar topics, and I hope you all continue to read and find value! Thanks for reading and see you next week :) <3