Tech-Giant

Biden's right-to-repair initiative has Apple's support an opportunity for the tech repair sector

The largest tech corporation in the world, Apple (AAPL.O), announced on Tuesday that it will support a U.S. right-to-repair law in response to years of concerns from consumer advocates that its elegant devices are expensive and difficult to repair. The declaration is part of a larger initiative by President Joe Biden to encourage competition and rein in so-called garbage fees and other practices that raise consumer prices.

In a move that could encourage other businesses to follow suit, Apple also announced on Tuesday that it will make the parts, equipment, and instructions needed to repair its iPhones and laptops available to consumers and independent repair shops around the country. According to Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, industry-wide restrictive tactics increased costs for consumers, impeded innovation, eliminated business opportunities for independent repair shops, and produced unneeded electronic trash.

"We've heard from health care workers and hospitals worried that they would be unable to fix a ventilator because the manufacturer was seeking to deny access to repair it," Khan stated. Apple has traditionally emphasized the durability and resale value of its goods while facilitating their maintenance and accessibility to replacement parts. The company's decision to support federal legislation and permit independent repair shops to fix its products is part of this trend.

In 2019, the business began supplying manuals and parts to a few small independent repair businesses. In its home state of California, Apple backed right-to-repair legislation in August, which mandates businesses to provide consumers and repair shops with access to the parts, tools, and instructions they need – at fair and reasonable pricing. Apple's vice president for service and operations, Brian Naumann, stated at the White House event that the company "intends to honor California's new repair provisions across the United States." "Apple also believes that consumers and businesses would benefit from a national law that balances repairability with product integrity, usability, and physical safety."

Lael Brainard, director of the National Economic Council, praised Apple's choice and urged Congress to enact federal law. Laws governing the right to repair have previously been enacted in California, Colorado, New York, and Minnesota. Similar legislation has been proposed in thirty additional states. According to Brainard, promises from private corporations like Apple might reduce consumer expenses and prevent needless garbage from ending up in landfills.

According to Brainard, repairing consumer electronics may cut the nation's approximately 7 million tons of electronic waste, save American customers $49.6 billion annually, and support small independent repair businesses. Even while Apple has been giving replacement parts to repair companies since 2019, California law also mandates that it give diagnostic equipment. Apple stated that it intends to use the same strategy nationwide as it does in California. However, several consumer advocates expressed skepticism in response to the news on Tuesday because Apple has historically embraced fixes with several restrictions.

U.S. PIRG's Nathan Proctor, who oversees the right-to-repair campaign activities, said his organization will monitor the specifics of any new federal law. "It's going to depend on people's experience in the real world - that's what we care about," Proctor stated. "We're going to keep watch-dogging Apple and the other companies."