In May of this year, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a report on US “anti-competitive repair restrictions”, which included multiple concerns about Apple’s business practices surrounding the iPhone. Now, the Biden administration is expected to require the FTC to formulate new rules to expand the ability of individuals and independent stores to perform smartphone repairs and more.
According to Bloomberg News, sources close to the matter revealed that President Biden will ask the Federal Trade Commission to draft a new draft maintenance rights rule.
The draft is expected to include new laws on the maintenance of smartphones, game consoles and even tractors, which have been digitized in the past few years.
Although the agency will ultimately determine the size and scope of the order, the Presidential Repair Rights Directive is expected to mention cell phone manufacturers and contractors from the Department of Defense as possible regulatory areas.
The White House economic adviser Brian Deese recently stated that the rules that have not yet been drafted will be aimed at “creating greater competition in the economy, providing lower prices for American families and higher wages for American workers. “.
In its May report, the FTC specifically targeted Apple-authorized independent repair plans and locked hardware components on its logic board, making repairs uneconomical or sometimes impossible.
Over the years, Apple has repeatedly fought the Right to Repair Act at the state level, and its position is usually based on concerns about safety and security (my colleague Ben has written about the pros and cons of Apple’s tight hardware integration).
At the same time, critics say that Apple’s strict control of iPhone repairs is not good for consumers, independent companies and the environment. As early as 2019, iFixit even launched the “I am a genius” campaign to encourage the public to repair their own devices.
It is worth noting that the UK has just introduced a new right to repair law, but it happens to exclude smartphones and computers. We will have to wait to see what the FTC’s draft restoration rights look like and how it affects Apple in the United States.
The iPhone was launched by Steve Jobs in 2007. It is Apple’s flagship iOS device and easily becomes its most popular product in the world. The iPhone runs iOS and contains a large number of mobile applications through the App Store.
Michael is the editor of 9to5Mac. Since joining in 2016, he has written more than 3,000 articles, including breaking news, reviews, and detailed comparisons and tutorials.
Post time: Aug-26-2021