Why This Matters Now
Beginning in 2012 in Massachusetts, the Right to Repair movement has become a global phenomenon, with repair legislation introduced or passed in all 50 U.S. states. As the world becomes more digital, one thing companies should focus on is the right to repair enterprise mobility. Enterprise mobility teams sit between security, cost control, and sustainability reporting, and repair policy is shifting device lifecycles and resale dynamics, especially for phones and tablets. These policy changes will help reduce costs by extending device lifetimes, expanding access to repairs, and improving sustainability.
What “Right to Repair” Means in an Enterprise Mobility Context
Restricted access has long been a battle for repair shops, but shifting policies mean more access to spare parts, tools, and repair information for independent repair providers. Major OEMs that once lobbied against such ideas are changing repair policies to improve sustainability and help expand repair capabilities for mobile device remarketing. For enterprise mobility teams, this means more repair access, longer software support expectations that extend usable life, and fewer artificial barriers that limit repair and refurbishment.
The Policy Landscape to Watch
Repair policies are changing across the globe, including the US and the EU.
European Union
- On June 13, 2024, the Directive on repair of goods was adopted and entered into force on July 30, 2024. The policy aims to promote more sustainable consumption by increasing the repair and reuse of goods, both within and outside the legal guarantee. Member States must apply it from July 31, 2023.
- EU Smartphone and tablet ecodeign and related requirements include: critical spare parts available within 5 to 10 working days and for 7 years after the end of sales; operating system upgrades for at least 5 years from the end of placement of the last unit; and access for professional repairers to software or firmware needed for replacement.
- Smartphone and tablet rules tied to labels and repairability information came into force on June 20, 2025, for devices placed on the EU market from that date.
United States
- The Minnesota Digital Fair Repair Act went into effect on July 1, 2024, and requires manufacturers of certain electronic products to make documentation, parts, and diagnostic, maintenance, and repair tools available to independent repair providers and product owners on fair and reasonable terms.
- The New York Digital Fair Repair Act went into effect on December 28, 2023. The bill requires original equipment manufacturers to provide diagnostic and repair information, authorizes original equipment manufacturers to establish reasonable training and certification programs for independent repair providers, and to offer parts to independent repair providers or owners with other parts where the individual components may pose a heightened safety risk, and relates to the effectiveness thereof.
- California SB 244 was signed on October 10, 2023, and closely resembles Minnesota’s Fair Repair Act.
Though repair legislation is ramping up, coverage and requirements differ by jurisdiction, and can change by product category and effective date.
How Right-to-Repair Policies Change Device Remarketing Economics
Device remarketing economics fluctuate with market trends, OEM cycles, depreciation rates, etc., and can be significantly affected by right-to-repair policy changes.
- First, a higher resale value due to a longer usable life. Longer OS support and parts availability increase demand for refurbished units and reduce end-of-life write-offs.
- Better refurb yield for buyback and ITAD streams as more units can move from “parts-only” to “Grade A or B” through screen, battery, and housing repair.
- Shifts in timing, as longer refresh cycles can reduce volume in the short term while raising per-unit recovery value.
- Greater price transparency and competition in repair because more repair providers can pressure down repair costs, which changes repair-versus-replace decisions.
The expansion of accessibility increases residual value, lowers repair costs, boosts the third-party market, and shifts focus from replacement to repair.
Operational Impact on Enterprise Mobility Programs
Increased volumes of device repairs require more stringent data security to ensure no residual data is leaked, closer policy inspections, and a tighter chain of custody.
Mobility security and IT operations: Data remains on devices until it is properly wiped, and device reuse can pose security risks if necessary precautions aren’t taken. This requires clean offboarding steps before repair or resale, including MDM unenrollment, activation lock removal, and verified data sanitization.
Warranty and OEM program considerations – Policies can expand repair access, while OEM warranty terms still set boundaries. Your workflow must track what repairs occurred and where to avoid any legal issues.
Supply chain and parts sourcing – More parts access helps, but you still need rules for approved parts, quality checks, and counterfeit risk control.
What to Update in Your Mobility and Procurement Playbook
As legislation continues to change and evolve around right-to-repair enterprise mobility, there are a few updates to make to your mobility and procurement playbook:
Device selection criteria – Add repairability, a parts availability window, and OS support duration to your purchasing scorecard to increase recovery value. For EU-deployed fleets, consider the required timelines for parts and updates as planning inputs.
Contract terms to tighten – Require service documentation and diagnostic tools, and clear SLAs for parts procurement where applicable. Define permitted repair providers and the evidence needed for audit.
Lifecycle decision rules – Set triage thresholds for redeployment, repair, refurbishment, remarketing, parts harvesting, and recycling. Standardize grading criteria so repair work maps to predictable resale outcomes.
Reporting and audit readiness – Track serial-level chain of custody, data sanitation results, repair actions, and final disposition channel.
Questions to Ask Your ITAD and Remarketing Partner
- Repair capability and throughput
- Which repairs are in-house versus outsourced, and what is the average cycle time?
- Data protection controls
- What data wipe standards, verification methods, and exception handling exist for locked or damaged devices?
- Value recovery reporting
- How do they report recovered value by model, grade, and channel, and how do they document the volumes of reused versus recycled materials?
Risks and Pitfalls to Call Out
Many enterprises assume consumer-focused laws do not affect enterprise outcomes, but repair laws significantly affect mobility remarketing costs, value, refresh cycle length, and more. Repair laws can also affect security risks, as cross-border movement of devices, parts, and data can create compliance gaps that lead to audit failures. Another pitfall that can create audit issues is untracked repairs that reduce resale value due to missing provenance. A major industry issue for mobile device remarketing is phone locks. Poor offboarding that leaves activation locks in place can restrict repair provider access and crush resale value.
The Next Step
What percent of your retired devices are refurb-ready today, and what percent fail due to parts, locks, or process gaps? As an industry-leading IT asset management and disposition provider, HOBI offers mobile asset remarketing solutions, including secure data sanitization, refurbishment pathways, asset remarketing, and reporting support.
Contact HOBI today to schedule a free consultation at 877-814-2620 or sales@hobi.com.