<
https://www.ifixit.com/News/58484/manufacturers-are-joining-the-fight-for-repair>
"We have long said that repairability is good for the planet, good for
consumers, and good for business. And it’s always been true. Repair reduces
e-waste and makes recycling easier. You may have experienced the empowerment
and budget-friendliness of repair yourself. But do repairable products make
sense for manufacturers, too? Yes.
Truth is, repair really is universal. It helps companies fix manufacturing
problems more quickly, allows them to refurbish and resell products, and builds
brand loyalty—ensuring repeat customers. A survey commissioned by Samsung found
that 80% of French consumers would give up their favorite brand for a more
repairable product. And despite years opposing the Right to Repair, these
companies are finally starting to come around to the idea. How do we know?
They’ve been asking for our help, and we’ve been happy to do what we can—from
running repairability workshops for designers to selling repair parts.
Consumer electronics leaders didn’t get where they are by ignoring trends. On
the contrary, they are expert cool hunters and are usually right on top of big
paradigm shifts. The Right to Repair has become a swell worth noticing. With
bipartisan US bills and international regulations gaining steam, presidential
endorsement, and even internal calls to action, these companies need to move
fast to catch this wave before it crests.
Samsung and Apple are pledging to make parts and tools available to the public.
Valve is launching the Steam Deck with spare parts in mind. And in a turn from
their legacy of glue, Microsoft has been redesigning products to be more
repairable. This makes good business sense, even if some of these “features”
will soon be legally required—they’re just getting ahead on their homework.
The Right to Repair consists of three main tenets: 1) codifying the
foundational right to open, fix, and alter a device, 2) requiring that repair
documentation be publicly available, and 3) requiring the sale of spare parts
and repair tools. When repair legislation happens, manufacturers will be
required to create systems to maintain, sell, and ship parts and tools, as well
as clear layperson-readable instructions. We’ve got some experience with … all
these things."
Via Rixty Dixet.
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
