Image credit – iFixit
Official repair work for mobile phones can be expensive, which we suppose part of the price is for peace of mind knowing that what you pay for are official parts. However for those who aren’t too fussed, this is where third-party repair shops come in, but that’s where the “Right to repair” bill comes in, where it offers the best of both worlds.
The good news for those who are proponents of the bill, a report from iFixit has revealed that the legislation is starting to gain some traction. It seems that so far this year, 17 states have introduced bills that help reduce repair costs, and while none of the legislation has been passed, it seems that Apple’s recent controversy surrounding slowed down iPhones has brought the difficulty of third-party repairs into the spotlight.
For those unfamiliar with the bill, this was introduced last year where it gives third-party repair shops the legal rights to purchase official components and tools that can aid in product repair. This is versus the current method where customers have to choose between paying a small fortune for official repairs, or pay less for third-party repairs but risk potential negative side-effects due to the use of unofficial components.
Clearly not all manufacturers were on board with this idea, with Apple being one of them. However like we said, the issue surrounding Apple’s iPhones at the moment serves to prove that customers should be able to access repairs easily and not worry about unofficial parts, even if repairing through third-party services.
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