This isn’t Apple being nice.
This is Apple wanting to sell things in California, combined with Apple not wanting to manufacture two separate versions of their devices for the US market.
This is also why everyone gets USB-C iPhones now, instead of only the EU.
They supported this legislation before it was passed. Still not out of the goodness of their hearts, this version includes provisions that they had wanted previously.
They "supported" this legislation by implementing a system where parts still require users to call in to activate them, you are "strongly encouraged" to rent or buy specialized tools from apple, and the price of parts plus rental generally comes out as only slightly less than paying an apple store to do it for you.
It is malicious compliance that they get to use for a PR boost.
IIRC: They battled this talking point/discussion and legislation for years. Up until a week before it was voted on and passed.
They are not your friend.
Maybe because EU passed this before California. Then it's easy to on board.
Thumbnail looks like a purple Dodge Challenger is about to drive through the window.
Apple storefront: planned obsolescence
Dodge Challenger: CA's right to repair law
IMO Apple must have found a way to literally Dodge this Challenger if they're supporting it. Wonder what concoction their legal team has drafted up?...
Based on this, it looks like an attempt to negotiate with the consumers "directly" and make it look like they are being active.
I'm glad for the EU, California, and other places that are big enough to force this sort of stuff nationally or globally.
Every so often the phrase "where California goes the nation follows" comes true. I had a feeling about this one, but not so soon nor decisively.
Apple »claims« they will honor ‘right to repair’ – just like they claim their latest devices are ‘carbon neutral’
this is a ruleset though, and it's likely much cheaper for them to produce one SKU for the US rather than two, a california rule abiding one, and a rest of the country one.
Right, this is absolutely because it’s cheapest for them to adopt across their product line and their PR team is trying to spin it like they are doing it for altruistic reasons. It’s the same with USB-C. Once forced by the EU, it was announced all iPhones would use usb-c, same situation
Their carbon neutral claims are a stretch, but they did massively reduce their carbon footrprint in addition to using offsets. The majority of the reduction is from using green energy at their factories and no longer using air shipping.
Apple saying they will honor like they're in control and have a choice.
They had the choice of not doing business in California, which is what they had threatened to do with previous right-to-repair and other consumer protection laws. In this case, they found a way to make money off it if so they are supportive of this bill now since they have successfully delayed it long enough to have an advantage over their competitors.
Well, didn't they play a huge role in the genesis of this law? I think they have some way to continue ignoring costumers.
Not by choice
That's great. I'm still gonna avoid everything Apple.
Who asked? Use what you like. Nobody cares, this is just a good thing for everyone
You sure didn't, but surprisingly loudly so.
It’s almost like it’s inconsequential which gigantic mega-corporation you give your money to with regards to a smartphone or computer.
I don't like giving money to Google but at least I can flash a free software operative system and I'm not in a golden jail under the tyrannic rule of a corporation.
Ehhh with eu sideloading, right to repair and generally a good phone it looks like a good deal but i also think full software liberty(you can replace the software on it) is a part of RTR and i dont know if thats ever gonna happen especially with even android phones getting more and more restricted.
Didn't they influence the creation of this law? I'm still sceptical of its effectiveness.
Yes, thats what Louis Rossman said. I get my news from Louis 🤣
That's what the smart ones do I hear
It is not wise to solely take news at face value. I always do a little digging into something whenever I hear any news on it myself.
Too bad I still need a hammer and chisel to replace the keyboard on my MacBook and don't even get me started on removing the battery which I need to do first
Same thing happened with net neutrality, California put NN into law, and the rest of the country followed because it doesn't make sense to build a separate Internet for California.
I understand this as the California Effect and similarly the Brussels effect. While both do change company policies, I do understand that many companies are going to continues to try and avoid a regulatory ruling as there is so much status quo market loss on the line for them.
This article describes how they'll be trying to use MOUs with nongovernment bodies to mollify consumers and regulators.
They get to sell their parts without having to pay all of the repair people and probably getting out of a certain amount of warranty liability. Win-win-win for them.
And people repairing their own stuff is always a good idea. People learning how to maintain their electronics is never a bad thing! Everyone should pick up a soldering iron at some point. :)
While in complete agreement that it's good the option is there, have definitely interacted with plenty of end users who, for various reasons, really should never.
Not that I fully disagree, just that there's a reason they didn't do it before. Probably more profitable to not have repairable devices. Not that they won't try to make the best of the current situation, as you said.
Also, it would likely be more expensive to produce a line of repairable products just for one state and do different for the others, so this is the best way of spinning this.
4 choices: don’t sell in CA, fight the law, make a separate phone to meet R2R laws that are likely going to become more prevalent, release a press report portraying magnanimity towards R2R and make the bare minimum effort to meet the law.
The last is the only real answer.
Like they have a choice. Even Apple can't manufacture separate devices for specifically for California.
What does this mean regarding their components pairing? Will they still force indepent repair shops to go through apple to validate a repair by requesting a new pairing for the replaced part? Will it be free? Will it depend on whether the part is a genuine apple part? A salvaged one? A third party part?
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
