Apple is preparing to fight proposed "Right to Repair" legislation proposed in the Nebraska state legislature, reports Motherboard. The legislation aims to make it easier for both customers and indie repair shops to repair electronics, similar to how car repair works.
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Nebraska is one of eight states considering such legislation. In addition to Nebraska, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Kansas and Massachusetts are working on similar bills. Last week, Illinois and Tennessee introduced laws in the same vein. Nebraska, thus far, is the only state to schedule a hearing for the proposed legislation.
A source tells Motherboard that Apple will send either a representative, staffer or lobbyist to argue against the law at the hearing, which is scheduled for March 9 in Lincoln, Nebraska. One of the arguments Apple intends to put forth is that allowing customers to repair their own phones could result in lithium batteries catching fire.
Apple has successfully lobbied against similar bills in the past. Last year, a bill headed through New York's state legislature was killed due to, in part, lobbying from Apple and IBM.
A "Right to Repair" law would require Apple and other manufacturers to sell repair parts to consumers and independent repair shops and make diagnostic and service manuals available to the public. Currently, Apple runs the Apple Authorized Service Provider Program, which requires businesses to let Apple review their financial records, maintain high levels of customer service, establish a credit line with Apple, and promote AppleCare.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)I agree with Apple on a lot of things but their stance on end-users repairing their own property has always been something I have a problem with.
Using adhesives increase the durability and make products smaller and more compact. Why would you think screws, shock mounts, and a ribbon cable are more efficient then directly connecting memory to a board? Everything will be printed at the molecular level someday. Will the same people crying on here be demanding that Apple keep components large enough to be manipulated by pliers and screw drivers?
Absurd. If you want a computer you can repair at home with Craftsman tools, buy a Dell from 1999. No one is stopping you from living in the past.