Apple shareholders press company to reverse 'anti-competitive repair policies'

Posted:
in General Discussion
A recently filed Apple shareholder resolution is pressuring the company to reverse its "anti-repair practices," which it says conflicts with Apple's reputation as a climate leader.

Credit: Apple
Credit: Apple


U.S. PIRG, a public interest research federation, and Green Century Capital Funds, its associated mutual fund company, recently filed resolutions with both Apple and John Deer asking them to account for their "anti-competitive repair policies."

The resolution calls Apple's combination of promoting sustainability while inhibiting repairs "disingenuous." It adds that the Cupertino tech giant "risks losing its reputation as a climate leader" if it doesn't reverse its restrictive repair policies.

Additionally, the resolution takes aim at Apple's extensive lobbying against right to repair legislation across the U.S. Apple publicly opposes right to repair bills -- which generally guarantee availability of repair tools, documents, and resources -- citing customer safety and security risks.

According to research cited by Green Capital Funds, electronic waste is among the world's fastest growing waste streams. Additionally, it points out that internet devices will account for 14% of all greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

"Consumers want to reduce their own carbon footprints by fixing their electronics, and Apple must help them get there," said Green Century President Leslie Samuelrich. "It's what's best for the company, its consumers and the planet."

Earlier in 2021, a new piece of right to repair legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, marking the first time such a bill was introduced on a national level

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    I believe there are deeper concerns that Apple would prefer not to air in public. They share what they have to , but revealing every cranny of your strategy would prove foolish. These share holders should shut up and accept their dividends checks. Checks that would exist if Steve Jobs was still in charge. He was totally against them. 
    tht
  • Reply 2 of 14
    mac_dogmac_dog Posts: 1,069member
    These shareholders are shills for the people who are pushing for right to repair. And the claim that people want to recycle their own electronics is utter bullshit. Apple make it so easy to repair and/or recycle their product. 

    I bet if R2R shops were mandated to recycle all their products or face fines, they would back off so fast. 
    williamlondonlkruppviclauyycDogpersonFileMakerFeller
  • Reply 3 of 14
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    Ugh. Do they realize Apple recycles electronics and would accept broken iPhones and iPads. Not maybe people would DIY.
    tht
  • Reply 4 of 14
    It's good to see shareholders pushing right to repair, but it's almost certainly going to take new laws to force abusive companies like Apple to change. 


    williamlondonelijahglam92103muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 5 of 14
    darkvader said:
    It's good to see shareholders pushing right to repair, but it's almost certainly going to take new laws to force abusive companies like Apple to change.  
    “Abusive” lol

    Show the jury on the doll where Apple touched you. 
    viclauyycwilliamlondonsbdudeStrangeDaysp-dogroundaboutnowbestkeptsecretDogpersonFileMakerFellerjony0
  • Reply 6 of 14
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Apple shareholders? How many? Probably one or two at most. All sorts of activist groups buy shares in companies for the express purpose of introducing shareholder proposals to highlight their agenda and embarrass the target company. Hell, iFixit could be one the shareholders in this report. We don’t know. 

    So for this article to claim shareholder pressure without numbers, names, and context is bad journalism.

    Finally, as is the usual outcome of shareholder resolutions and proposals, it will be voted down roundly. It’s all showboating, folks.
    edited September 2021 williamlondonget seriousp-dogDogpersonjony0
  • Reply 7 of 14
    I'm sorry, how does having someone other than Apple repair a phone have anything to do with greenhouse gas emissions? Why would it be any less?
    edited September 2021 williamlondonp-dogDogperson
  • Reply 8 of 14
    So when Apple discontinues offering hardware repairs on devices it obsoletes, do they just trash/recycle the inventory of their repair parts? They likely would have to intentionally break them before handling them to a recycler.
    edited September 2021
  • Reply 9 of 14
    Having 3rd parties be able to fix your Apple device or any other without having to go back to constructor is accepted in every other industry. 

    Are the people in here that are anti right to repair telling me you only ever get your car serviced and fix at the dealer and their rip off prices? Cause you are basically saying if you buy a GM car you should only be able to get it fixed by GM.

    Also providing parts and diagrams so repair shops can fix a broken laptop or phone doesn't reveal your strategy. By that logic when my mechanic fixes my Toyota he now knows Toyotas business strategy..... come on
    edited September 2021 williamlondonlam92103muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 10 of 14
    sbdude said:
    I'm sorry, how does having someone other than Apple repair a phone have anything to do with greenhouse gas emissions? Why would it be any less?
    When a manufacturer blocks repairs, structures and prices repairs so that they are undesirable you are effectively pushing the consumer into the purchase of a new device. A good practice for the manufacturers profits / sales but not so good for the environment. 

    Why? because it is prematurely increases consumption and means the total carbon cost of a device is now higher as its lifespan was shorter than it needed to be, this also increases e-waste.
    edited September 2021 muthuk_vanalingamwilliamlondon
  • Reply 11 of 14
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member

    The resolution calls Apple's combination of promoting sustainability while inhibiting repairs "disingenuous." It adds that the Cupertino tech giant "risks losing its reputation as a climate leader" if it doesn't reverse its restrictive repair policies.
    This. Apple is very disingenuous to tout its environmental record while blocking repair policies. 
    jungmark said:
    Ugh. Do they realize Apple recycles electronics and would accept broken iPhones and iPads. Not maybe people would DIY.
    Do you realize that repairing a device leads to much less waste than buying a new one and recycling the old one? The single biggest impact of a device occurs at manufacturer. Recycling a device helps and reduces the impact somewhat but extending the usable lifespan is far and away the best.

    I have to assume that the beancounters are playing into this as well. Apple knows that easier repairs will mean people delay buying new devices, affecting their bottom line. As a consumer, I would prefer to have the option and the vehement opposition people have to being allowed to repair your own device is baffling. If you don't want to fix your phone you're still free to buy a new one.
    edited September 2021 williamlondonlam92103muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 12 of 14
    Everyone complaining about right to repair who owns a car, at least in the US, has benefited from right to repair legislation for decades.
    muthuk_vanalingamMplsPwilliamlondonFileMakerFeller
  • Reply 13 of 14
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member
    Everyone complaining about right to repair who owns a car, at least in the US, has benefited from right to repair legislation for decades.
    No, you don't get it! It's dangerous to have a 3rd party repair the brakes or transmission on a 3000 pound object with 300 HP traveling at 70 MPH! Just look at all the people who are dying on a daily basis from these shoddy, dangerous 3rd party repairs! And cars are blowing up on a daily basis because someone put a non-OEM battery in them. it's horrible, I tell you!
    muthuk_vanalingamwilliamlondonFileMakerFeller
  • Reply 14 of 14
    MplsP said:
    Everyone complaining about right to repair who owns a car, at least in the US, has benefited from right to repair legislation for decades.
    No, you don't get it! It's dangerous to have a 3rd party repair the brakes or transmission on a 3000 pound object with 300 HP traveling at 70 MPH! Just look at all the people who are dying on a daily basis from these shoddy, dangerous 3rd party repairs! And cars are blowing up on a daily basis because someone put a non-OEM battery in them. it's horrible, I tell you!
    🤣
    williamlondon
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