American giant Apple confirmed on Wednesday that it supports a currently-discussed California law that would require major consumer electronics manufacturers to make their devices user-repairable without having to bring them to the store.
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This law, the Right to Repair Act, requires manufacturers to provide consumers with the tools, parts, and information they need to repair their devices themselves.
“Apple supports the Right to Repair Act so all Californians can have better access to repairs and protect their safety and privacy,” the iPhone maker told AFP.
The consumer group Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), which is defending the project, called Apple’s position an “unexpected reversal,” adding that the group has so far been a staunch opponent of this kind of legislation.
Similar laws have already been enacted in a few states across the country, the organization said.
“It’s not just about providing parts and tools, it’s about empowering consumers to make environmentally conscious choices,” says Liz Chamberlain, who runs the repair advice site iFixit.
“The right to repair has been evolving behind the backs of big tech, it was time for Apple to take a step,” she added.
More and more countries are trying to force the major manufacturers of electronic devices, especially smartphones, to make them repairable without replacing large parts or the entire device.
Therefore, at the end of June, the European Parliament voted in favor of a regulation that, from 2027, obliges manufacturers to build models in which the device’s battery can be easily replaced.
France, in turn, launched a “repair index” in 2021, allowing consumers to learn which devices they can most easily repair themselves, a device that will be rolled out across France. European Union in 2025.