On iFixit and the Right To Repair (vice.com)

Jason Koebler writes: Motherboard sent a reporter to the Electronics Reuse Convention in New Orleans to investigate the important but threatened world of smartphone and electronics repair. As manufacturers start using proprietary screws, offer phone lease programs and use copyright law to threaten repair professionals, the right-to-repair is under more threat than ever. "That Apple and other electronics manufacturers don't sell repair parts to consumers or write service manuals for them isn't just annoying, it's an environmental disaster, [iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens] says. Recent shifts to proprietary screws, the ever-present threat of legal action under a trainwreck of a copyright law, and an antagonistic relationship with third-party repair shops shows that the anti-repair culture at major manufacturers isn't based on negligence or naiveté, it's malicious."

Comments

Let them lease, but not screw with sales

[gurps_npc]

If they want to offer a lease (with the right of the customer to return the leased object to the legal owner at no cost to the leasee), that's one thing.

But if you own something, you have all legal rights to not just repair but to modify as well. The most the manufacturers should be able to do is cancel the warranty on modification.

Re:Let them lease, but not screw with sales

[kimvette]

> The most the manufacturers should be able to do is cancel the warranty on modification.

Wrong. Only failures as a direct result of any modification should be denied. See: Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. Installation of a third-party part should not void the warranty. If Apple could get their way they would probably void the warranty if you use third-party headphones/earbuds with the iPhone.

Some PC manufacturers tried to pull this crap when users added RAM or peripheral cards with a sticker on the chassis sealing it shut, reading "warranty void if removed." Um yeah... people always chose PCs with 8 slots to not expand them.

Re:Let them lease, but not screw with sales

[gstoddart]

So the legal system needs fixing so we can fix our appliances. Gotcha.

When companies can claim copyright on screws, and use the DMCA to claim you can't refill your ink cartridges ... you're damned right the legal system needs fixing.

Companies want to undermine the right of first sale, the right to do as you please with your property, the right to repair your property ... all in the name of 'copyright' and protecting their revenue stream by saying you must buy certain things from them.

Honestly, have you not been paying attention? Because companies have been misusing the legal system to tell us what we can do with things we own for years.

They largely do this by telling us we don't actually own them. Which is odd, because they sure as hell expect us to pay full price for them.

Re:They protest too much...

[MyAlternateID]

Doesn't it seem to be a bit self-serving for a repair company to complain that things need to be more repairable?

I care first and foremost about: are they telling the truth and do they have a point? As a distant second I might think about their motivation.

Usually, any concerns about a cynical motivation are used to explain a falsehood. It's not as common as it should be, but sometimes, people actually do build a profitable (and thus, self-serving) business around a good idea that really fulfills a legitimate need.

Please consider: if this company can repair your phone, there is also at least a slim chance that you can repair your phone yourself. This is a case where your interests could (should?) align with theirs. I mean really, proprietary screws? That's just plain asinine. There is no legitimate reason to do that. It deserves to be called out publically.

Re:They protest too much...

[fafaforza]

By self serving I presume you mean looking to make a living. This selfishness will benefit the world by keeping hardware from being smelted in Africa by 7 year old kids on open fires fueled by old CRT casings.

I'm fine with a craftsman eking out a living fixing things that are broken that the manufacturer has no interest in repairing.

Similar legislature was enacted in the auto repair industry. Would you prefer to be forced to go to the dealer for any sort of repair? Or would you prefer to save yourself a good amount of money.

Re:exaggerate much

[gl4ss]

thats veeery generous of them.

oh wait, 99% of countries they offer it in already have consumer laws that dictate that the shops that sell the stuff have to accept used electronics and dispose of them properly(and as apple is doing direct sales, this puts them on the hook). who wants the hassle of going to the place to dispose of them though... not surprised of apple branding legal requirements as 'bonus' though!

the problem is more along the lines of apple not providing parts for fixing(3rd party pretty much) and their move to non-fixable at all on purpose devices. now this wouldn't suck so much if for example your ipod classic 160gb broke it's headphone jack(like all of them do, eventually).. since uh, what are you going to replace it with? a 16gb ipod touch?

thats the real problem, you find a device you like and you can't keep it running and you can't buy a replacement.

Re:They protest too much...

[rtb61]

So you are saying that repair companies do not like difficult to repair products because they make more money repairing them. Difficult to repair just means consumers can not readily repair it themselves and must take it to a repair company and pay them in order to carry out the repair.

So it just happens that iFixit https://www.ifixit.com/ is "iFixit is a wiki-based site that teaches people how to fix almost anything. Anyone can create a repair manual for a device, and anyone can also edit the existing set of manuals to improve them. Our site empowers individuals to share their technical knowledge with the rest of the world.", you claim in that light is really quite nasty and smells of corporate propaganda.

To make it clear, yes it is self serving to complain bitterly about being ripped off with unrepairable products which result in shitty resale values. What, I am meant to live my life to serve corporate profits instead, seriously WTF?