Apple has announced a surprising stance in support of California’s Right to Repair Act (S.B. 244). This is a sign that the public’s strong support of the right to repair has forced Apple to change its position, and now is the time for you to help keep the pressure on lawmakers to get the Right to Repair Act passed in California.
Apple’s about-face came in a letter to the bill’s sponsor, Senator Susan Eggman. Apple’s letter marks a significant change from where Apple was on the issue in the past, when reporting in 2017 showed that lobbyists associated with Apple (and other tech companies) fought against the “Fair Repair Act” in New York, and again against the “Digital Fair Repair” Act in 2022. In a letter to New York Governor Hochul, Apple flat out denied the benefits of the bill for consumer choice, safety, and protection of the environment, while raising the specter of dire consequences if others were allowed to compete with them in the repair market.
Support the “Right to Repair” Act
But in a major shift in policy, Apple says in its letter that it supports the California bill as it stands, as long as it still includes a requirement for repair shops to disclose the use of third party or used parts, and doesn’t allow those shops to turn off certain remote locks. Apple has made small concessions to the repair movement with moves like its 2021 launch of its Self Service Repair program, which allows you to order repair parts direc
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