Right to repair: repairing smartphones can be made easier

The Executive Order of the President of the United States Jo Biden with a view to promoting competition in USA is a big step for the Right to Repair movement.

Biden signed the order on Friday as part of a plan to boost competition in a range of sectors, from healthcare to automotive, online platforms and consumer devices. However, the order also aims to provide better regulatory support for independent tech repair shops.

Dozens of states have proposed right to repair for things like consumer appliances, automobiles, farm and medical equipment. EU lawmakers proposed the right to repair for cell phones and other devices last year.

Η νέα εντολή αναφέρει τους “mobile phone manufacturers and others that exclude independent repair shops” και σημειώνει ότι “technology and other companies impose restrictions on third-party repairs, making repairs more costly and time-consuming, limiting the distribution of spare parts, diagnostics and repair tools."

Η εκτελεστική εντολή ενθαρρύνει το FTC “issue rules against anti-competitive restrictions on the use of independent repair shops or DIY repairs of your own appliances and equipment

This may help to tip the balance in favour of consumers and small repair shops against large hardware technology manufacturers that have designed products that are not friendly to independent repair shops.

Ο Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit, welcomed Biden's executive order and is confident that the FTC has the authority to do so.

"Small businesses are the lifeblood of the American economy, but Big Tech has done everything it can to drive small repair businesses out of business“, λέει ο Wiens. “This is a huge step by the Biden administration to protect local businesses and consumers who are being abused."

iFixit highlights the difficulties that independent repairers face from large technology companies, ranging from limited or blocked access to parts and tools, as well as requiring proprietary software to complete fixes.