Germany Wants Smartphone Makers To Repair Products For At Least 7 Years
Image via ID 69884169 © Vlad Teodor | Dreamstime.com
Germany has urged the European Union to rule that smartphone makers, such as Apple and Samsung, have to repair and update existing devices for at least seven years. It’s also lobbying for manufacturers to offer spare parts at a reasonable price to consumers.
This statement comes as part of the European Commission’s (EC) proposal for stricter rules when dealing with smartphone manufacturers. It hopes to reduce the electronic waste produced by the shortening lifespan of devices, ensuring that they can be repaired and be of use for longer.
The EC’s proposal also includes a push for Apple and Samsung to make spare parts and software updates available, and for vendors to disclose the prices of these parts so consumers will know of the true repair costs.
While the EC has asked for five years of repairs and updates for smartphones, and six years for tablets, Germany is gunning for an even more ambitious seven-year lifespan.
Additionally, it wants smartphone makers to guarantee quicker shipment of spare parts, so customers won’t have to wait too long for repairs. This could be a key factor in encouraging users to choose repairs over a new phone altogether.
In France, consumers already have the help of a repairability index, which shows how easily each smartphone and tablet model can be fixed. Germany said it hopes this measure can be expanded to more countries across Europe, too.
However, tech giants won’t be swayed too easily. As per Cult Of Mac, Apple, Huawei, and Samsung want a three-year repair and update period instead of the proposed seven years.
The companies also feel that only components such as batteries and display screens should be included for fixes. Other parts like camera sensors, which they believe “rarely fail,” should be left out.
For brands like Apple, which uses its own software and parts, fixing a smartphone can be pricey. Although the company already allows software updates for more than three years, customers have said getting the actual device repaired at an authorized retailer still costs too much.
For example, as per Cult Of Mac, at Cupertino, repairing a US$99 HomePod Mini will set you back US$79—causing many consumers to opt for a new device instead of paying such a hefty fee for a fix.
With Android smartphones, the issue lies more with its software updates. Most devices only see up to two years of updates before they are incompatible with the latest software, pushing consumers to upgrade to the latest model nearly once every two years.
It’s still unclear if Germany and the European Commission will be able to pass the regulations, but with the problem e-waste is creating in landfills, it’s certainly a problem that needs a repair of its own.
[via Cult Of Mac, cover image via ID 69884169 © Vlad Teodor | Dreamstime.com]
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