Right to Repair Gains Momentum

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2021-09-23 09:30:26

A Computer and Laptop Repair Service Company in Hyderabad, Telangana. Vintechcomputerservices, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Legislative momentum is increasing with pressure from farmers, soldiers, the open source community, and independent repair shops for a Right to Repair devices and machines to make them easier and cheaper to repair, less likely to be tossed in a heap of e-waste. Device manufacturers from the technology, agriculture, and medical device industries oppose the idea.

The right to repair is a piece of legislation that aims to give consumers and other end users more power to either repair their own machines and devices or bring them to any number of independent repair shops where they can get affordable replacement parts. As it stands, many devices and machines - from tractors to iPhones to battlefield equipment - can only be repaired by technicians licensed by the original manufacturers or with parts available through exclusive manufacturer networks. 

The current relationship between manufacturers and consumers results in a predictable array of long waits for service, higher prices, voided warranties, and device designs that all but require short replacement cycles, which in turn generate more hardware headed for the landfill. In other words, just as the software industry has realized that subscription models are much more lucrative than one-and-done software purchasing, the hardware industry is trying to build a more subscription-like relationship with consumers in which consumers end up paying manufacturers a large amount to purchase the item and then smaller ongoing amounts over time for maintenance and repair of the item.

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