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Provided is a weekly snapshot of the recent mobile repair, sustainability and battery related news that HOBI’s blog reported during the week 4/08-4/12.
Internal Apple documents undercut claims about your right to repair
Apple device owners could be seeing some radical changes to the way they decide to have their devices repaired. An internal Apple document from 2018 shows the company could be shifting its stance on customer’s right-to-repair. Motherboard reports that Apple sent a presentation to third party repair firms that gave access to Apple diagnostic software, a wide variety of genuine Apple repair parts, repair training and did not outline any restrictions on the types of repairs that independent firms are permitted to do. Whether Apple is bracing for future right-to-repair legislation or is simply trying to appease consumers, if Motherboard’s reports prove to be accurate, this could be a huge boost for consumer’s rights.
Durability vs. Recyclability: Conflicting goals in sustainable efforts
When it comes to sustainability, can you have both durability and recyclability? A research team at the Georgia Tech aims to answer this question. The team recently published a study in the journal Management Science, that looks into the impact of government policies put in place to reduce the amount of electronic scrap filling up landfills. The study focuses on government policies, such as EPRs, used to encourage electronics makers to put more thought into what happens at the end of their product’s life cycle. EPR programs are already in use in some states, and have two common objectives: to have producers design their products to be easier to recycle or to boost their durability for increased device life span. However, Georgia Tech’s researchers find that these goals are often at odds with each other.
New Li-ion battery recycling technique
Lithium-ion batteries are incredibly useful devices that help power many of our daily tech devices. However, when it comes to disposing of them, Li-ion batteries can be troublesome. These batteries contain toxic materials that are hazardous to our health and the environment if left in landfills. These batteries have a flammable electrolyte and pressurized contents that could lead them bursting into flames. It’s especially risky when lithium-ion batteries end up in the back of a dry recycling truck surrounded by paper and cardboard. Pressure or heat, could cause them to start a fire. However, a group of researchers at Rice University believes that they have found a way to safely and efficiently recycle batteries that could decrease the amount of Li-ion batteries that end up in landfills while extracting rare metals like cobalt from them.
Spring cleaning: Time to clear out old IT assets
A technology refresh cycle establishes a predictable process for swapping out old technology with new assets every few years. It comes with a host of considerations. Sometimes a refresh means a simple software update and other times it means a complete overhaul in the repair show. And sometimes, it means that equipment is out of date and no longer viable and is retired from service. Having a way to keep up with and track your assets’ use can aid organizations in making informed and cost-effective decisions on how they use their assets in the future. A good equipment refresh is something every company should consider to ensure optimal working conditions of their assets.
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