Home » The right to repair can make the gadget industry more sustainable

The right to repair can make the gadget industry more sustainable

by admin

The stone in the pond was launched by Apple. The Cupertino-based company announced Self Service Repair, which will allow customers who feel capable of repairing access to genuine Apple device parts and tools. Initially available for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lines, and soon also for Macs with M1 chips, Self Service Repair will be active from the beginning of the new year in the United States and will be extended to other countries (including Italy) in the course of 2022 .

“This option – they write in a note from the Cupertino company – is added to the 5000 Apple Authorized Service Centers and to the 2800 companies that are part of the Independent Repair Providers program, which already have access to original parts, tools and manuals”.

Apple’s move

But what does this move by Apple really say. He says there is a whole movement of the right to reparation that is moving. A movement transversal to jurisdictions (it happens in the States, but also in Europe and in the UK), which is pushing to lengthen the obsolescence of technological products. Let’s clarify a point: today, if you have an iPhone with a broken display and you try to replace it yourself or have the replacement work done in a repair center not authorized by Apple (like most of the shops that do these jobs throughout Italy) , you will probably have an iPhone with a working display again, but certainly no longer covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. And this goes for Apple and for all other brands.

See also  A floating clinic in the Gulf of Mexico to circumvent abortion bans in the US

The right to repair

The right to reparation goes to intervene precisely in these meanders. And the reason is apparently clear: the ocean of tech waste is becoming (or perhaps already is) unsustainable. It is clear that if we could repair our smartphone, making it performant for 5/6 years, instead of 2/3 as it happens today, we would give a great help to the planet, as well as to our pockets. The numbers reported by the Financial Times are emblematic: We discarded 53.6 million tons of electrical and electronic products in 2019, a 21% increase in five years, and the figure is expected to increase by another 50% by the end. of this decade. Less than 20% of this electronic waste has been recycled, and then the right to repair and self-repair (with consumers repairing – if able – their devices, as in the case of Apple Self Service Repair) becomes a ‘need.

The confrontation with Big Tech has been on for years

Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and other tech giants have often opposed some right-to-repair bills. And those approved in Europe and the UK have aroused a lot of criticism in consumer associations because they are considered inadequate. First of all, because they are laws that apply only to certain appliances and televisions, while laptops, smartphones and tablets are currently excluded. Secondly, because there is nothing to stop manufacturers from making excessively expensive repairs by charging high prices for parts or grouping parts so that the sections need to be replaced together. In short, it’s a question of goat’s wool.

You may also like

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More

Privacy & Cookies Policy