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Washington Bill Makes It Illegal To Sell Gadgets Without Replaceable Batteries (vice.com)
Jason Koebler writes: A bill that would make it easier to fix your electronics is rapidly hurtling through the Washington state legislature. The bill's ascent is fueled by Apple's iPhone-throttling controversy, which has placed a renewed focus on the fact that our electronics have become increasingly difficult to repair.
Starting in 2019, the bill would ban the sale of electronics that are designed "in such a way as to prevent reasonable diagnostic or repair functions by an independent repair provider. Preventing reasonable diagnostic or repair functions includes permanently affixing a battery in a manner that makes it difficult or impossible to remove."
Starting in 2019, the bill would ban the sale of electronics that are designed "in such a way as to prevent reasonable diagnostic or repair functions by an independent repair provider. Preventing reasonable diagnostic or repair functions includes permanently affixing a battery in a manner that makes it difficult or impossible to remove."
So what I'm hearing is that the government should issue design parameters for products. That's stupid. People know what they're getting into when they buy a phone. The Government should have requirements around a lot of things like safety and radio interference, but I think they should stay out of areas like how you repair a device. This is a stupid law for stupid people.