A legislator in Canada has proposed a bill to ensure that individuals and indpendent shops can repair brand-name devices. If on the off chance that the bill becomes law, major hardware vendors will have to change how they sell their products.
[...] On Thursday, Coteau introduced a private member's bill in provincial parliament that, if passed, would be the first "right to repair" law for electronic devices in North America. More than a dozen US states are currently considering similar bills, but nothing is on the books yet in the US or in Canada.
The legislation proposes that tech companies make diagnostic tools, repair manuals, and official parts available to consumers at their request. The legislation would also require that any new products ship with a repair manual. Documents provided to consumers must be free unless they request paper copies, and parts, tools, and software must be provided at a fair price.
Earlier on SN:
Apple's T2 Security Chip Can Prevent Unauthorized Third-Party Repair of Devices
Yes, Americans, You Can Break Anti-Piracy DRM If You Want to Repair Some of Your Kit – US Govt
45 Out of 50 Electronics Companies Illegally Void Warranties After Independent Repair, Sting Reveals
The Right to Repair Battle Has Come to California
(Score: 3, Interesting) by JoeMerchant on Saturday February 23 2019, @07:03PM
When I cracked the screen on my 2 year old Nexus 5, the cost to replace the screen on my phone ($70) was more than the cost to buy a used Nexus 5 on the open market ($60)...
Along with all this regulation, let's also make a regulation that the parts required to assemble a finished consumer device be available for sale at a total price less than the cost of the device at retail, not MSRP, but actual sale price.
Next, let's also get rid of "loss leader" give away the razor at a loss and make millions on the blades business models - but that one has to be done delicately, the economy of the western world might collapse if that business model were suddenly illegal.
🌻🌻 [google.com]