Apple Supports CA Right to Repair
Apple is backing a right-to-repair bill in California, a major shift in the company鈥檚 policy, according to a letter reviewed by CNBC. The iPhone maker has historically opposed right-to-repair efforts but now says with the right provisions in place it can support expanded consumer repair access.
Apple customers would have access to parts and tools for three years after the date of manufacture for most of Apple鈥檚 product lineup.
Apple聽is now backing a California right-to-repair bill, a major shift in the company鈥檚聽聽and a potential boon for the environment, according to a letter obtained by CNBC.
California Senate Bill 244 would require manufacturers such as Apple to allow customers to fix their broken or damaged devices. It was introduced by state Sen. Susan Talamantes Eggman in March. Eggman has put forward other right-to-repair bills in the past, saying that expanded right-to-repair legislation would 鈥済ive consumers the choice to save some money.鈥
In a Tuesday letter to Eggman鈥檚 staff, Apple鈥檚 policy team concurred but said the company would not support the bill if it allowed repair shops to turn off Apple鈥檚 anti-theft remote locks, which often make it impossible to repair or activate old computers that have been sold.
鈥淲e support SB 244 because it includes requirements that protect individual users鈥 safety and security, as well as product manufacturers鈥 intellectual property. We will continue to support the bill, so long as it continues to provide protections for customers and innovators,鈥 the company鈥檚 lobbyists wrote in the letter seen by CNBC.
Apple also said that it would continue to support the bill as long as repair shops were required to disclose 鈥渢he use of non-genuine or used parts.鈥
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