About 87 million Americans damaged their phones in the last year. That number doesn’t count tablets, computers, and other electronic devices.
All you have to do is drop it or spill something on it and you have damage. When something does go wrong, manufacturers make you pay for technical support or send it in for repairs.
Most people decide that it’s cheaper to replace the phone and have fewer headaches. That’s at the heart of the Right to Repair Law.
The Right to Repair debate says that consumers should have the right to repair the device themselves.
Want to know more about this debate? Keep reading to learn about the Right to Repair and what it means if you have broken devices.
The Right to Repair Debate
Here’s a typical example of a technology issue that the Right to Repair debate tries to address.
You just spent $1000 on a new phone. It comes with a limited warranty for one year. You can pay to upgrade your warranty coverage.
Manufacturers require that their technicians have to repair the device, which is usually expensive.
If you open the device and try to repair it yourself, you void the warranty. Some manufacturers won’t allow you to replace the battery, which is a simple repair that anyone can do.
On one side of the debate, you have consumers who say they own the product. They should have control over how the item gets repaired.
They argue that repairs should be more affordable, too. Environmentalists argue that making it easy to repair devices keeps them out of landfills.
On the other side of the argument are manufacturers. They argue that customers put themselves at risk to repair their own devices.
They don’t have the expertise to repair things themselves, and will ultimately make things worse. That turns into quality issues for manufacturers.
Their brand reputations can get damaged over time.
The other major concern is intellectual property. If anyone can see how an iPhone or other device gets made, the manufacturers lose their competitive edge.
Right to Repair Is More Than Devices
It’s important to note that Right to Repair doesn’t only apply to electronics.
The farming industry asked that farmers have the right to repair tractors and other equipment. Since these machines rely on software, they’re out of commission for days.
Farmers can’t afford to miss days of work, especially at critical times like planting and harvest days.
It also applies to the automotive and medical device industries.
Where the Right to Repair Law Stands Now
Is the Right to Repair Law in effect now? At the federal level, it is not.
President Biden does support consumers’ rights and backs some form of a Right to Repair Law. He signed an executive order in July to order the Federal Trade Commission to force manufacturers to give consumers more control over how their devices get repaired.
The Federal Trade Commission is currently considering a Right to Repair Law.
That leaves Right to Repair laws to state legislatures. According to Right to Repair the advocacy group Right to Repair, 25 states have Right to Repair bills under consideration.
What happens in the future is anyone’s guess. Tech companies continue to lobby hard against these bills.
Apple already responded to these laws with its own self-service repair program. That gives consumers parts and manuals to repair iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 devices.
It’s also expanding the number of certified repair locations to make repairs more accessible.
How to Repair Your Devices
The Right to Repair Law isn’t going to help you if you have a device that needs attention right now. Let’s take a look at your options to repair your device.
The first thing to do is try to diagnose it. It’s not always easy to do because your phone could have a hardware issue or a software issue.
Think of what led up to the problem. If you installed new software or an update, you can easily assume that you have a software issue.
Dropping the phone is likely to lead to a hardware issue.
If you have a cracked screen and you just want the phone to hold out for a short period of time to upgrade, try packing tape.
The other options are to try a screen protector or call in a professional to help.
Start with a quick search for “fix my iPhone near me.” Look for places that are close to you and check out their reviews.
Visit their websites to find out about the devices they repair. Some specialize in Apple devices, while others work with a broad range of devices.
Call a few of them to get a sense of the service and see if you can get a quote over the phone. Don’t be surprised if you can’t get a quote until a technician looks at the device. You might be able to get a ballpark figure to compare it.
Did the person who answered the phone seem warm, friendly, and helpful? That’s the type of service you can expect.
If the person was short, cold, and unhelpful, you’ll probably get that level of service. You’ll be better off skipping them.
The Right to Repair Law and Your Ownership Rights
When you purchase a product, you have a reasonable expectation as to what you can do with it. You don’t want to intentionally drop a device, but it happens sometimes.
The Right to Repair Law isn’t law yet. It could open the door to help make repairs more affordable and you can try them yourself.
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