Anyone who’s spent an afternoon at the “Genius Bar” or paid top-dollar at an “authorized repair” shop knows the pain of trying to fix a device that’s controlled by Apple — AKA, the maaan.
Luckily, 17 states are raging against the difficult-to-repair machine, introducing bills this year to make standard parts and manuals available to the general DIY public.
And now Washington’s taking it to the next level, proposing legislation that would actually ban manufacturers from designing products that “prevent reasonable diagnostic or repair functions” by the average joe.
It’s all part of the ‘right to repair’ battle
Tech manufacturers have a vested interest in keeping total control over the repair process, claiming that it’s a security measure against malicious attackers.
However, supporters of the bills point to the post-sale monopoly this creates — and the independent repair shops that currently operate in a legal grey area, using counterfeit parts from China, or recycled components.
It’s not just Apple taking heat… it’s companies like John Deere
John Deere’s tractors are surprisingly high tech — and if one of them breaks down, they have to be taken to a designated repair shop to be fixed.
That’s a huge pain in the corncob for farmers, who can’t exactly take the weekend off from taking care of their crops to drive to a dealership.
Long story short, this fight is bigger than your cracked iPhone screen. And if the bills pass (most of them are still in the early stages), big tech manufacturers nationwide may have to revisit their business models.