Apple, Verizon and other tech giants are pushing against your right to have your mobile devices repaired. The Fair Remedy Act is a bill recently submitted to the New York Senate. The bill is currently in committee, this is the time to write to representatives. There are also similar bills currently filed in 11 other states. So why should you, the consumer, care?
The Fair Repair Act would require manufacturers of digital parts sold or used in New York to make manufacturer repair and diagnostic information and tools available for purchase from independent repair facilities. If approved, it would apply to equipment and parts manufactured in 2012 or later. It would also introduce a public outreach program to make the public aware of the legislation. Any company that violates the new legislation will face a fine, provided the terms are found to have been violated.
Obviously, the tech giants are fighting the bill, as repairs to items like smartphones, laptops, and watches would no longer require a lengthy visit to the manufacturer and endless discussions about warranty eligibility. I mean, everyone loves a good 4 hour visit to the Apple Store to talk to the “geniuses” there about why their one year old iPhone is no longer eligible for warranty coverage.
The legislation is not exclusive to smartphones and the like, but would cover a multitude of devices such as televisions, computers, watches, tablets, and more. The only exceptions to the legislation are vehicles and certain medical devices.
Imagine a world where you take your wrecked phone to any independent repair shop and walk out an hour later with a manufacturer-quality repair. No pesky hoops to jump to, no digging in your wallet for receipts.
The Fair Repair Act would also serve to keep the technology repair field competitive in the best way. If all independent repair establishments had access to original diagnostic tools, then the success of those companies would depend solely on the quality of their repairs and their experience in the field.
Although the Fair Remedy Act is currently limited to New York, it will have far-reaching consequences. The public must set the right precedent and let the tech giants know that we demand the ability to reasonably repair our hard-earned devices. If the bill passes in New York, we can only hope that similar bills will follow in other states. Hopefully, by raising awareness, we can ensure high-quality, reasonably priced repairs for all consumers.