Matthew Sparkes is a writer.
It is necessary that the iPhones require careful repairs.
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Apple made a surprise announcement in November that it would begin selling parts and tools so people could repair their own phones, and eventually other devices, assuming they have the know-how. The move was applauded by the Right to Repair group, who want all devices to be easy to service.
Many phones and laptops are being designed to make simple repairs difficult or impossible for anyone other than the manufacturer. The Right to Repair movement wants equal access to the parts, how-to guides and proprietary tools and believes this shortens device lifespans and drives unnecessary consumption.
Kevin Purdy at iFixit says that Apple and other manufacturers are still introducing new features that are meant to make repairs more difficult. A growing trend is for companies to add software-coded serial numbers to components, which alert the device to any unauthorized repairs, and components that are glued together or require proprietary tools to remove are common and can often be overcome using third-party kits from such services.
He says that anyone who puts replacement parts inside with a different serial number, genuine or third-party, will endure software warnings, reduced function, or even failure to operate. It was time for us to fix the things we own.
Tech giants don't want you to fix your phone. It's time to fight back.
Apple didn't respond to a request for an interview. A spokesman for the company told New Scientist that its phones use technical components and materials in a highly integrated and efficient manner. The components may not be easy to repair in a way that preserves full function, safety and data security.
Other manufacturers disagreed. Miquel Ballester, co-founder of Fairphone, says that the rapid technology innovation they want us to believe in is not there anymore.
Ballester says that the difference between the two is not significant. A part of the market is aware that they can keep their devices a little longer.
Law-makers are coming around to the idea of longer-lived electronics. European Union legislation that came into effect in July requires companies to sell parts for 10 years after the last sale.
The legislation only covers larger appliances. Right to Repair, a campaign organisation representing 18 member groups in 18 European countries, says that phones, tablets and other electronics need to be included. According to the European Environmental Bureau, the average phone has a life of just three years, but that could be doubled.
The EU should extend the legislation to cover other devices, but it won't come until at least 2023, and still needs to be strengthened to prevent parts being priced high deliberately.
She believes that EU legislation has the potential to solve the problem of technology worldwide. She says that manufacturers aren't going to make one repairable printer or phone for Europe and then a whole other non-repairable one for the rest of the world.
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