After Microsoft, Apple Embraces Right To Repair Devices: Why The Sudden U-Turn?

Apple has done the unexpected by embracing the "right to repair," joining tech biggie Microsoft in allowing users to repair their own devices. With this, users could be able to extend the life of their iPhones and other Apple devices without having to getting them fixed by Apple directly.

Starting next year, Apple will sell its components to users in the United States. The pilot rollout would allow Apple users to fix the batteries, screens, and cameras of their iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 series at home.

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Apple's sudden change of heart

Over the year, the service is expected to be rolled out to different countries across the globe. Even though the move is welcome from a tech giant like Apple, critics are wary. For starters, we have no idea how the components would be priced, given Apple's reputation for changing over the market value.

Additionally, Apple has worked extremely hard to ensure right to repair doesn't become an issue for it to deal with. In fact, in October, the company was fighting a shareholder proposal that called for the right to repair. The company claimed that Apple's own experts know its products best.

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In July, American President Joe Biden's executive order urged the Federal Trade Commission to look at unfair practices that stifle competition with regards to third-party and self-repairs. Perhaps that played into Apple's decision-making regarding right to repair.

Apple's U-turn

Apple has the reputation of being conservative when it comes to third-party repairs. In fact, if you were to get your screen repaired from non-Apple service providers, the face ID on your iPhones would most likely stop working.

Mind you, repairing your Apple devices isn't cheap, which is why most people end up discarding the old device and buying a new one altogether. Sometimes, the cost of Apple's repairs is over half of the price of a new phone.

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Also read: iPhone 13 Face ID Won't Work If Broken Screen Is Repaired By Non-Apple Support

Even then, the pricing will play a key role in how this plays out for third-party repairs and those who like to fix their Apple devices themselves. Nevertheless, it's a step in the right direction. With Microsoft and now Apple, it now appears that the right to repair may actually become a right in the near future.

What do you think about this industry-defining move by Apple? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, continue reading Indiatimes.com.