The products covered by the obligation to repair currently include:
- washing machines and washer-dryers
- dishwashers
- refrigerators
- electronic displays
- welding equipment
- servers and data storage products
- mobile phones, cordless phones and tablets
- tumble dryers
- e-bikes and e-scooters batteries (from 18 February 2027)
- local space heaters
Hopefully this will benefit other countries indirectly, instead of designing one repairable phone and one not repairable, should be easier to just design one.
Just like the USB-c on the iphone
Even then, Apple maliciously complied. They put shit speed usb-c, (maybe 2.0?) on all but the highest most expensive model.
Tbf they also did that when they were on lightning.
And they are not the only one to do that. I have a flagship android phone one step before the super flagship but It only got usb 2. It is really annoying to transfer media at such a low speed.
So I saw that my car offered up all sorts of useful diagnostic information for self diagnosing stuff. Was very excited and went to look at it for a generic fault without having to get software to tell me what the fault is. I thought "it’s stupid it has fully functional computer display yet tells me basically “contact a dealer, but it’s safe to drive” instead of what the problem is. Then I find out that because I’m in the USA, the company keeps it to themselves…
So if they see value in treating regions differently, they will absolutely go out of their way to screw over the regions that will let them.
Okay, but the economics of doing that are different between software and hardware. It’s much more expensive to have a full second hardware design compared to just turning a software feature off in certain markets.
Car manufacturers screwed over consumers the last 10-15 years big time! Cars used to be the big thing many could fix a lot on by themselves and were proud to do so. Then they basically just said incrementally to the DIY’ers “it’s all computers now, not your cup of tea”, purposely made cars less and less self repairable and got away with it! It’s infuriating.
Computers could make cars a lot more reliable and moddable. It’s proprietary/locked-down software and hardware that’s the problem.
Do you seriously think they computerized cars to make them less repairable? That’s some tin foil hat stuff there.
They started computerizing cars to make them more efficient, reliable (ironically), safer, etc. The problem is that beyond OBDII there is no standard for diagnostics, and makers keep these proprietary.
They didn’t have to keep it proprietary, and I think in many “computer problems” the certified dealers will just replace 1 circuitboard by a new one, but it’s a part which private customers are not able to order and replace themselves
They didn’t do it for that purpose, I am saying they used the opportunity of cars becoming more digital to make them less repairable outside of “certified dealers”
I’ve read a couple stories of companies (planning to) release EU-only models there, but non-EU-compliant ones everywhere else.
The EU ones will become a lot more valuable on second hand markets…
The past two phones I bought were not because they broke, but because they stopped being supported on apps that I need to use.
That’s also included in the directive. Manufactures will be required to provide OS updates for at least 5 years “from the date of end of placement on the market” (which means the date the brand shipped the last device of a model).
They also have 4 months to release security updates and 6 months for functionality updates see ANNEX II for all device categories.
That is actually fairly reasonable. I use a 5 yr old Xiaomi which a has 8Gb (as much as an entry level Surface or MacBook. Fuck AI) an octacore CPU, great camera, ultra fast charge, great battery etc. But I realize most people change phones every 2-3 years regardless of how well their phone works, because of “shiny new thing”
Xiaomi 13T gang? 😁
10T. Banger of a phone.
Actually pretty repairable despite the glued back.
Let me guess, iPhone?
Androids
Huh…I’m guessing banking apps? Those are the only ones that have ever given me problems on old Android devices
I’ll literally change banks over that kind of thing now.
Been starting to see more randomly picky apps. Based on vintage and rooted device.
Uninstalled the FedEx app, since every time I tapped on a tracking number, it would divert to the app which would promptly shame me for having a rooted device and refuse to run.
yes
Doubtful. iPhones have the longest support of any phones out there.
Long, but not longest. Fairphone is longer.
Source?
As far as I know, nearly all flagship phones, Apple or otherwise, get about 7 years of update support (except Pixel phones with GrapheneOS which get 14).
The difference is, even my old phone running Android 8 (a 9yo OS) can still browse the web, run all apps, and perform fine as a phone. An even older phone running Android 4.4 can still run 3rd party apps. iPhones seem to stop working about a year after they stop receiving updates, and they don’t support sideloading (also know as running the software you want to run on the device you own).
Your Android 8 phone absolutely can not run every app lol. That’s a straight up lie that even people here won’t believe.
iPhones have the longest security update and os update plan out of any manufacturer.
https://www.tomsguide.com/phones/9-phones-with-the-longest-software-support-samsung-iphone-pixel-and-more
Also worth noting that up until about 3 years ago finding an Android phone that was supported for even 4 years was almost impossible. Apple have been doing 6-7 years of full OS version updates and 8+ years of security updates almost since the start.
https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/1upwfda/lets_be_real_no_company_beats_apple_in_terms_of/
Oh trust me, I’m no fan of Samsung, but I tend to value control of my devices over…whatever it is Apple does. I had an iPhone until I discovered replacing the home button myself artificially bricked the device due to DRM forcing customers to go to an Apple store for repairs. Never again
The oldest iPhone that can run the latest iOS is the 11 from 2019. Apple is still providing security fixes all the way back to iOS 15, which goes back to the 6s released in 2015. So, somewhere between 7 and 11 years for Apple depending on what you are counting as support. As a personal experience, my partners iPad from 2017 still runs fine, though it is stuck on iOS 16 and only gets security updates.
Are you sure about 14 years of support? I think Graphene basically supports things as long as Google does, due to reliance on their source code releases. Double that would be impressive.
https://grapheneos.org/faq
Ah thanks, my bad; I must have remembered incorrectly. I’ve updated my original comment
“Hold my beer” - Nintendo, releasing an EU centric revision. Meanwhile Apple and Samsung are digging up every legal loophole to prevent the law applying to their devices.
I think Nintendo will transition to having only one version on the long term, precisely not to have to deal with two versions.
i wonder, do we know what will be the price difference between the EU centric version and the international version?
Apple and Samsung be like: “It’s not a mobile phone or a tablet, it’s a phablet so it does not fall in to any category of the devices that need to be repairable.”
The loophole in the directive is smaller phones. Smartphones go from 10.16 cm (4 inches) diagonal to 17. 78cm (7 inches) and everything bigger (up to 44.2 cm) is a tablet.
Samsung and Apple’s flagship smartphones are very close to be considered tablets but that wouldn’t save them from the requriments.
Apple: hey fans, did you know the best phone is actually small?!!
iPhones are already super easy to repair. Apple have been at the forefront of this for years.
well, one thing that surely is not repairable about apple is their software. you can’t fix their operating system by installing a more meaningful alternative to it on your device, can you?
What a ridiculous and pointless comment.
how is it ridiculous and pointless? fixing software is a big concern to me.
You imply it’s broken and that you could “fix” it. Both are untrue.
I have to admit that I haven’t checked ifix scores for a hot minute and am surprised that since the iphone 15 Apple consistently beats all other big brands in reparability score. Before that of course they were bad, which is probably why people remember them that way. I like that trend, hopefully Samsung and Google also hop on that bandwaggon any time soon.
Strange that 73 other people, 30+ of who downvoted long after I added the proof, think that ifixit are wrong.
I don’t think they have a problem with the ifixit scores, more with the words you have chosen to convey your message. Also of course you will not find any love for Big Tech in the Fediverse ;-)
My words were the truth, I guess that’s why they have an issue with them 🤣
Personally I downvoted you because you completely forgive/forget the older devices from Apple.
They had sold approximately 2.2 billions of impossible to repair devices before they kind of changed course with the iPhone 14 line.
But those devices don’t have to meet these laws, so they’re irrelevant.
I also didn’t say they have always been great, I said they’ve been at the forefront for years, which is true. Their recent phones are easier to repair than almost any other phones on the market.
/s?
Edited to add the single best source there is for the doubters and downvoters. Take a look.
You only need a screwdriver set and maybe some rubbing alcohol.
the same apple that locks individual parts of devices to user accounts so that they can’t be used for repair?
Sounds like this is to prevent theft for parts. Considering it says right there that parts can be unlocked with the user’s account. So it’s the same mechanism that makes a stolen iPhone non-functional unless unlocked by the user.
sure but what if you buy one for parts?
Ask the previous owner to remove the locking, same way as they would need to if you bought the device to use it. What’s the problem?
Again, says right there they should just remove the device from ‘Find my’, which disables Activation Lock, the very same feature that prevents theft for reselling the device for regular use.
what if the phone is broken and has been disassembled?
The internet doesn’t stop existing when your phone breaks.
Same Apple. Signing new parts to your device is incredibly simple and DIY now.
https://www.ifixit.com/repairability/smartphone-repairability-scores
PROS
CONS
…but only if you buy the parts new.
I wouldn’t want to be putting second hand parts in my phone when repairing it. I can’t imagine there are many second hand screens or batteries around for sale given they’re the things that are replaced the most.
Not that I’d ever want a second hand screen or battery anyway.
Not an option if you love somewhere where official parts are not for sale.
i’m perfectly fine with buying third-party components.
Are we talking about the same apple that invented a new type of screw to keep people from taking their phones apart? The same apple that once people could get a trilobe driver, then made it so that generic replacement screens would not work because of some protection from non-apple hardware? Then went on to make sure that you can’t use non-apple parts in a laptop?
Yes.
https://www.ifixit.com/repairability/smartphone-repairability-scores
PROS
CONS
Super easy to repair by certified repair shops or easy to repair by people at home with minimal tool requirements?
At home with minimal tool requirements
https://www.ifixit.com/repairability/smartphone-repairability-scores
PROS
CONS
Not bad by the standards of modern phones, but hopefully not good enough for the new EU standards. Imo adhesives should only be used if they’re replaceable or reusable and the screws should be limited to philips and flatheads.
PH screws can go to hell, they fucking suck I hate them. Flathead is just kind of annoying. Torx all the way, they are superior in every way.
No thank you on the flathead or Philips head screws, they get burred too easily which would basically leave your phone unrepairable.
The less adhesives the better though, agreed there. Their phones are already definitely self-repairable enough for the new EU rules.
hard disagree on the screws:
philps and flatheads can be damaged too easily: torx or nothing!
these teeny tiny screws are really finicky and both philips and flatheads are prone to slipping, causing faster wear and easily leading to stripped screws…
any design that is inherently resistant to that is a must for small parts!
source: worked in a repair shop ;)
Sure thing, I don’t care much about the specific screw type, just that it’s a type that’s commonly available so you don’t need a unique screwdriver for each device you own.
Torx screws are almost as common as philips and flatheads as they’re long out of patent protection and vastly superior.
It’s almost impossible to strip them without actively trying, unlike the others mentioned.
that’s very important, agreed!