Apple Now Supports A Federal Right To Repair Law (Its Lawyers Will Help Write)

Eager to maintain a lucrative repair monopoly over its products, Apple has had a long history ofbullying independent repair shops. Apple lobbyists have also falsely claimed that making its products easier and less expensive to repair would result in vast untold consumer privacy and security nightmares, turning states that consider right to reform" legislation intolawless meccas for hackers.

But given the immense, bipartisan popularity of right to repair reform, Apple (like Microsoft) back in August claimed it was having a change of heart. The company's support helped push California's new right to repair law over the finish line, and now Apple is clearly lending its support for a federal right to repair law:

Apple Vice President Brian S. Naumann made the shocking proclamation during an online right-to-repair event hosted by the Biden Administration Tuesday afternoon. Naumann, who recently echoed support forCalifornia's newly passed right-to-repair law, said both consumers and businesses alike would benefit from clear federal legislation that makes it easier for consumers to repair products while maintaining device security.

Here's the thing: most of these companies haven't genuinely changed their stripes. They just know that the bipartisan popularity of these reforms make it impossible for them to continue actively opposing them. So what they're doing is lending their support for state laws, provided said laws exempt most of the key industries engaged in the dumbest behaviors.

New York and California's laws are a step in the right direction, but they actively avoid covering key industries where repair monopolies are hugely problematic, like medical hardware, agricultural hardware, or in some instances even phones or game consoles. I'd assume that any federal law where Apple has key input would likely be so loophole-filled and watered down as to have questionable utility.

Activists suggest that some 45 different states are considering right to repair legislation. Like with most policy (net neutrality, privacy) companies would much rather be tasked with adhering to a singular federal law than a fractured web of various state laws. Especially if their lawyers have significantly more input into the width and breadth of that law than activists, consumer groups, or policy experts.