Apple voices official support for California SB 244 right to repair bill

AppleInsider

As California's SB 244 right-to-repair bill is routed through the capitol, Apple has voiced its support in a surprise move from the company.

Apple supports right to repair bill

Right to repair has become an increasing issue in Silicon Valley as lobbyists fight to keep repair control under mega-corps like Apple and Google. Bills like SB 244 have been openly opposed by Apple in the past, but this one has gotten the official stamp of approval per a letter sent by Apple's legal team.

According to TechCrunch, a letter was sent by Apple to California state senator Susan Talamantes Eggman voicing support for the impending bill. The endorsement comes as a slight surprise, though it's clear why Apple supports this bill versus previous iterations.

Apple launched the Self Service Repair program for iPhones in 2022 and has slowly expanded it into other products like select Macs. That means Apple is already in compliance with the SB 244 bill and won't have to change its operations as a result.

The bill is similar in scope and execution to a right-to-repair bill that passed in Minnesota in May. It builds on the existing Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act of 1970, which requires companies to provide repair facilities and service dealers to consumers within fair and reasonable terms.

SB 244 expands on this by setting strict terms, requiring parts, tools, and documentation for purchased products for up to seven years. This goes well beyond existing warranty requirements and is a boon to users and third-party repair shops seeking such materials.

"Apple's support for California's Right to Repair Act demonstrates the power of the movement that has been building for years and the ability for industries to partner with us to make good policy to benefit the people of California," Sen. Eggman said in a statement. "I'm grateful for their engagement on this issue and for leading among their peers when it comes to supporting access to repair."

The letter sent by Apple details why the company supports the bill in no uncertain terms. It mentions that the bill maintains user privacy and security, ensures official part use and requires disclosure when non-genuine parts are used, and doesn't compromise consumer safety or repair reliability.

The full letter can be read in the embed below.

Apple SB 244 by Mike Wuerthele on Scribd

Read on AppleInsider

MplsP

Wait - for the last several years we’ve seen a chorus of people screaming how iPhones and iPads are going to start blowing up, causing untold death and destruction if anyone besides Apple does the repair. Now that Apple is supporting a right to repair bill what will these people do? Is there enough crow to go around or are they going to start screaming how wrong Apple is to support such a bill?

mikethemartian

I saw a pig flying earlier today.

mikethemartian

MplsP said:

Wait - for the last several years we’ve seen a chorus of people screaming how iPhones and iPads are going to start blowing up, causing untold death and destruction if anyone besides Apple does the repair. Now that Apple is supporting a right to repair bill what will these people do? Is there enough crow to go around or are they going to start screaming how wrong Apple is to support such a bill?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sED4fzIV0k

MplsP

mikethemartian said:

MplsP said:

Wait - for the last several years we’ve seen a chorus of people screaming how iPhones and iPads are going to start blowing up, causing untold death and destruction if anyone besides Apple does the repair. Now that Apple is supporting a right to repair bill what will these people do? Is there enough crow to go around or are they going to start screaming how wrong Apple is to support such a bill?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sED4fzIV0k

Exactly! What if someone crosses the streams when they're trying to replace an iPad battery?

beowulfschmidt

The biggest reasons I can see for Apple to support such a law is that it won't require them to do anything more than they are doing now in order to comply with it, and so they can point to it and say "See, we're complying with the law!  Aren't we great corporate citizens?  Go us!"

notrs

If they really want to impress me, let me easily upgrade my storage and memory on laptops. 

headfull0wine

What?  You mean I still won’t be able to buy a knockoff battery from Amazon and use my wife’s hair dryer and a putty knife to swap it out?  Then when it bursts in flames, post it on TikTok and blame Apple?  The nerve….

sdw2001

I’m not a fan of the right to repair movement. Just wait until people start blowing themselves up because they don’t know what they’re doing.  Also, customers make an active choice when they buy a product. I don’t know where this so-called “right” comes from, but they have to be allowed to repair their own product. I suppose I could see a provision where the manufacturer is not allowed to withhold original parts. As for Apple, they are supporting this because it’s good PR. Apple is genius when it comes to knowing which way the wind is blowing.  

avon b7

sdw2001 said:

I’m not a fan of the right to repair movement. Just wait until people start blowing themselves up because they don’t know what they’re doing.  Also, customers make an active choice when they buy a product. I don’t know where this so-called “right” comes from, but they have to be allowed to repair their own product. I suppose I could see a provision where the manufacturer is not allowed to withhold original parts. As for Apple, they are supporting this because it’s good PR. Apple is genius when it comes to knowing which way the wind is blowing.  

This is why, on the EU side at least, battery replacement is required to be a simple action for laymen and using freely available tools. 

Design for repair. 

The 'right' is something that has been eroded over time. It was basically there and industry has worked to eliminate it. 

Legislation is a way to bring it back. 

danox

avon b7 said:

sdw2001 said:

I’m not a fan of the right to repair movement. Just wait until people start blowing themselves up because they don’t know what they’re doing.  Also, customers make an active choice when they buy a product. I don’t know where this so-called “right” comes from, but they have to be allowed to repair their own product. I suppose I could see a provision where the manufacturer is not allowed to withhold original parts. As for Apple, they are supporting this because it’s good PR. Apple is genius when it comes to knowing which way the wind is blowing.  

This is why, on the EU side at least, battery replacement is required to be a simple action for laymen and using freely available tools. 

Design for repair. 

The 'right' is something that has been eroded over time. It was basically there and industry has worked to eliminate it. 

Legislation is a way to bring it back. 

It will be the way to make the EU a tech Ghetto, smaller, faster, more powerful less wattage is the future, standardizing on one particular I/O plug forever is not, once the tech companies outside the EU get over the relative shock of the EU’s stupidity, they will design around and move on, the Apple’s Vision Pro upon its release, is/will be on its way to actually fitting into a pair of framed glasses thru iteration, and the iFixit’s, right to repair or the EU isn’t going to stop that from happening over the long haul. The vacuum tube days are over.

And that type of decision will also apply to the German Auto industry, try and design their cars for the demanding conditions of the Autobahn, or the Nürburgring and be the best, or be like the rest of the EU (France? Italy? is there anyone else left) and design cars just good enough and let eastern Asia dominate.

sdw2001

avon b7 said:

sdw2001 said:

I’m not a fan of the right to repair movement. Just wait until people start blowing themselves up because they don’t know what they’re doing.  Also, customers make an active choice when they buy a product. I don’t know where this so-called “right” comes from, but they have to be allowed to repair their own product. I suppose I could see a provision where the manufacturer is not allowed to withhold original parts. As for Apple, they are supporting this because it’s good PR. Apple is genius when it comes to knowing which way the wind is blowing.  

This is why, on the EU side at least, battery replacement is required to be a simple action for laymen and using freely available tools. 

Design for repair. 

The 'right' is something that has been eroded over time. It was basically there and industry has worked to eliminate it. 

Legislation is a way to bring it back. 

The point is it’s not a right.   Never was, never will be.  It’s just another big government, nanny state provision.  A right is God-given and natural.  

danox

sdw2001 said:

avon b7 said:

sdw2001 said:

I’m not a fan of the right to repair movement. Just wait until people start blowing themselves up because they don’t know what they’re doing.  Also, customers make an active choice when they buy a product. I don’t know where this so-called “right” comes from, but they have to be allowed to repair their own product. I suppose I could see a provision where the manufacturer is not allowed to withhold original parts. As for Apple, they are supporting this because it’s good PR. Apple is genius when it comes to knowing which way the wind is blowing.  

This is why, on the EU side at least, battery replacement is required to be a simple action for laymen and using freely available tools. 

Design for repair. 

The 'right' is something that has been eroded over time. It was basically there and industry has worked to eliminate it. 

Legislation is a way to bring it back. 

The point is it’s not a right.   Never was, never will be.  It’s just another big government, nanny state provision.  A right is God-given and natural.  

What’s interesting is that all those new right to repair chop shops in the future will have flowery language in their paperwork (the contract) that you sign before they repair anything, that they reserve the right to use whatever part they deem necessary.  

avon b7

sdw2001 said:

avon b7 said:

sdw2001 said:

I’m not a fan of the right to repair movement. Just wait until people start blowing themselves up because they don’t know what they’re doing.  Also, customers make an active choice when they buy a product. I don’t know where this so-called “right” comes from, but they have to be allowed to repair their own product. I suppose I could see a provision where the manufacturer is not allowed to withhold original parts. As for Apple, they are supporting this because it’s good PR. Apple is genius when it comes to knowing which way the wind is blowing.  

This is why, on the EU side at least, battery replacement is required to be a simple action for laymen and using freely available tools. 

Design for repair. 

The 'right' is something that has been eroded over time. It was basically there and industry has worked to eliminate it. 

Legislation is a way to bring it back. 

The point is it’s not a right.   Never was, never will be.  It’s just another big government, nanny state provision.  A right is God-given and natural.  

I won't get into the God thing but I would argue that, historically speaking, it has been 'natural' to repair things. 

I have no issue with the 'right' in right to repair. 

It is something Apple, and the industry in general, have been eroding for years now. 

It's time to swing things back in favour of the consumer. 

It would be simple for the industry to design for repair. What is clear by now though is that the biggest players will not do that until they are pushed to do so. 

In fact, a shove might be in order.