Apple Supports Right to Repair in California

For years, Apple has notoriously lobbied against the Right to Repair movement but recently announced support for a right-to-repair bill currently under consideration in California. An amended version of a previous bill, SB 244, would require manufacturers to make tools and parts available to repair facilities and owners of certain products on fair and reasonable terms. 

In a statement, Apple said the bill strikes the right balance between “consumer choice and reliable repairs” while also protecting privacy, data security, and the intellectual property of OEMs. “California’s final Right to Repair bill should balance device integrity, usability, and physical safety with the desire of consumers to be able to repair, rather than replace, a device.”

SB 244 was authorized by Sen. Susan Eggman, passed the Senate in June, and is now in debate by the California Assembly, with a vote expected soon. 

Some are thrilled to see the change in the course of the right-to-repair movement, but some advocates are more skeptical of Apple’s sudden change of mind. Executive director of the Repair Association, Gay Gordon-Byrne, expressed concerns in an emailed statement that the letter “might be a PR tactic to spin a losing position into a win.” However, Byrne added, “It was our triumph in states like New York, Minnesota, and Colorado that forced manufacturers to drop their opposition and focus on compliance. Frankly, California may have passed this law even without Apple’s endorsement.”

The right to repair has gained much traction in the last decade, and Apple’s support is a giant step forward for the movement, no matter the company’s motive. Consumers’ right to repair their devices has been a hot topic in the industry for years, with some believing consumers should be able to repair their own devices or, at the very least, be allowed to take them to third-party repair shops, while others feel it is too dangerous to allow. 

Tech giants, including Apple, have rolled out repair kits for consumers, but the price of the kits determany consumers from even trying, and many accused the company of half-hearted efforts to satisfy customers. 

Self-repair can be beneficial in many ways, but it can also be extremely dangerous and lead to chemical fires if not done correctly. In many cases, it is best to leave repairs to professionals and IT asset management facilities like HOBI to prevent accidental fires. 

HOBI is an R2v3, RIOS, WBE, and ISO-14001 certified IT asset management and disposition enterprise with more than 30 years of industry experience. We offer ITAD services such as data security, reverse logistics, and  mobility-managed services like device repair, refurbishment, and remarketing. 

For more information about our ITAD services, call 817-814-2620 or contact HOBI at sales@hobi.com.