France doesn't understand why different iPhone models have varying parts
France is investigating Apple over allegations that it deliberately limits the repair options for its smartphones, potentially rendering them obsolete.
France investigates Apple
When using Apple's self-service repair program, customers are required to provide the serial number of their device when ordering parts for products such as iPhones and Macs. Moreover, any parts obtained through this program must be matched with the specific intended device, ensuring proper installation and compatibility.
However, France's Halte l'Obsolescence Programme (HOP) association complains that Apple's policy of using serialized parts lets it restrict repairs to authorized repair providers and limits devices that don't use certified parts. HOP calls on Apple to "to guarantee the right to repair devices under the logic of real circular economy."
As a result, France has opened an investigation into Apple over "planned obsolescence" to determine if it intentionally plans for iPhones to become out of date due to these repair restrictions, according to AFP.
HOP lodged a complaint against Apple in 2017 for intentionally reducing the maximum performance of certain older iPhone models with deteriorating batteries, a measure aimed at preventing unexpected shutdowns.
After Apple acknowledged that it deliberately slowed down older iPhones, the company faced numerous legal challenges. However, Apple said it was crucial for preventing sudden shutdowns that may harm the iPhone's electronics.
Critics and plaintiffs argued that Apple's policy, whether intentional or not, pushes users toward purchasing new iPhones. Older models often encounter difficulties with the latest applications and iOS updates.
In 2020, Apple reached a settlement to pay $27.4 million for not informing iPhone users that software updates could potentially decrease the performance of older devices.
Read on AppleInsider
France investigates Apple
When using Apple's self-service repair program, customers are required to provide the serial number of their device when ordering parts for products such as iPhones and Macs. Moreover, any parts obtained through this program must be matched with the specific intended device, ensuring proper installation and compatibility.
However, France's Halte l'Obsolescence Programme (HOP) association complains that Apple's policy of using serialized parts lets it restrict repairs to authorized repair providers and limits devices that don't use certified parts. HOP calls on Apple to "to guarantee the right to repair devices under the logic of real circular economy."
As a result, France has opened an investigation into Apple over "planned obsolescence" to determine if it intentionally plans for iPhones to become out of date due to these repair restrictions, according to AFP.
HOP lodged a complaint against Apple in 2017 for intentionally reducing the maximum performance of certain older iPhone models with deteriorating batteries, a measure aimed at preventing unexpected shutdowns.
After Apple acknowledged that it deliberately slowed down older iPhones, the company faced numerous legal challenges. However, Apple said it was crucial for preventing sudden shutdowns that may harm the iPhone's electronics.
Critics and plaintiffs argued that Apple's policy, whether intentional or not, pushes users toward purchasing new iPhones. Older models often encounter difficulties with the latest applications and iOS updates.
In 2020, Apple reached a settlement to pay $27.4 million for not informing iPhone users that software updates could potentially decrease the performance of older devices.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
As far as phones go, making sure that the part is correct is to my mind more important than anything else. There is nothing worse than ordering a part for you to find out that it is wrong when you get it.
While not so prevalent in the phone world (AFAIK), in the automotive world, tracking which cars are affected by the change from one model year to another is important. Getting the wrong part could result in deaths.
Legislation is an absolute must and then cases can be put forward for investigation.
There are revisions to various EU directives coming down the pipe that may end up with far longer hardware/software support policies being implemented.
They also include the option for users to downgrade new functionality added via software post purchase.
Before that though, the textile industry will probably be first to come under new requirements for 'forced obsolescence' accusations.
If you need newer iOS features, buy a new phone. Simple.
BTW...I'm still driving and enjoying my 2002 Focus ZX3...
An iPhone with a known security flaw, that you can't patch, is essentially unusable on the public Internet.
If you really want iPhones/iPads to have long life spans, you should require Apple to unlock a device to allow third party operating systems when Apple stops releasing security updates for that device. At the very least, that would allow a motivated group to port a modern Android release to that device. Alternatively, an enterprising individual you could port Linux to the device.
I do understand that there are some good arguments for Apple to maintain complete control over the underlying OS. However, great authority brings along great responsibility. If Apple is going to maintain control over the OS, then they have a responsibility to patch security issues. Otherwise, Apple is effectively obsoleting a device the moment it stops patching security flaws.
Any effort to stop this imaginary "planned obsolescence" in smart phones is really an effort to stop technological advancement in that industry. --Which would be an unbelievably stupid thing to do.
The practice effectively gives Apple a kill switch on repair.
I suppose this is another area where legislation will have to level the field
Feature phones lasted ages. Nokia phones in particular were famous for being basically unbreakable unless you went massively out of your way and threw them under an actual bus. The software was simple and solid, so didn't stretch the hardware, battery life was measured in weeks rather than days, they just went on and on.
They were junk in terms of what they could do in comparison to a modern smartphone, but lots of them were built to last.
Smartphone innovation goes at breakneck speed. There is no reason to build hardware that lasts well more than 5 years if it it won't be able to run the software and handle the data bandwidth that will come out in 5 years.
So? Whether the business still exists 16 years later is no reflection on whether the phones were built to last.
There are people who are quite happy running phones without the latest software, or the fastest data bandwidth, or the breakneck latest release. And it appears that their phones might be suffering from artificial restrictions on repairability, which sucks. If you enjoy being on the bleeding edge, that's fine, but it doesn't benefit you for Apple enforcing this.