Louis Rossmann’s video is a good take on this. Basically the anti-repair stance they have held for so long is evolving into a passive approach where it is either too costly or too difficult to repair
What they are saying is that Apple is now fine with people repairing their own devices because the cost of the equipment/parts to replace parts in their own devices likely is more expensive than the average Joe is willing to sink into a DIY project, with none guaranteed results, as opposed to just send it to Apple for a repair.
Sure people can now send it to a third party for a fix but if the cost for a repair at a third party shop is marginally lower than an Apple repair, Apple is betting that a customer will likely choose them vs. a third party.
Apple will be gatekeepers over NEW replacement parts for their devices so it’s a win win win for them. They win if you buy their parts to replace parts, they win if you take it to a third party and you buy their parts and they win if you take it to Apple for service and repairs.
Same as oil companies claiming they care about going green now after denying the mere existence of climate change tooth and nail for decades. Apple even already confirmed that they’ll weasle their way out of the EU law for replacable phone batteries with the waterproof loophole.
I could only find a rumour that they were trying to circumvent it.
i hadn’t heard of it before but i found a verge article that says
The battery regulation contains an exemption for devices “that are specifically designed to be used, for the majority of the active service of the appliance, in an environment that is regularly subject to splashing water, water streams or water immersion.”
the actual legislation (linked in the verge article) says
… this Regulation should provide for a limited derogation for portable batteries from the removability and replaceability requirements set for portable batteries concerning appliances that incorporate portable batteries and that are specifically designed to be used, for the majority of the active service of the appliance, in an environment that is regularly subject to splashing water, water streams or water immersion and that are intended to be washable or rinseable. This derogation should only apply when it is not possible, by way of redesign of the appliance, to ensure the safety of the end-user and the safe continued use of the appliance after the end-user has correctly followed the instructions to remove and replace the battery. Where the derogation applies, the product should be designed in such a way as to make the battery removable and replaceable only by independent professionals, and not by end-users.
im far from being a legal expert and i know apple has its own private army of lawyers, but it seems like it will be an uphill battle to say the iphone qualifies for that exemption.
Never believe mega corporations.
“The big exceptions are video game consoles and alarm systems.”
Why specifically exclude game consoles?
Not saying this is a good excuse, but I suspect it’s related to DRM / cheating.
Video game consoles exist for the sole purpose of playing protected content, and they rely on part on verifying things haven’t been tampered with to discourage creating.
That’s the slipperiest slope ever. All modern computing is full of DRM. I watch Netflix on my Mac and game on my desktop, should I have no rights?
Again not saying it’s a good excuse. You’re right that modern computing is full of DRM, but unlike a computer, an Xbox is literally just a DRM box. They rely on their hardware DRM to prevent piracy.
Not sure if it’s still the case but back in the day, people would install aftermarket disc readers in early 360s specifically to allow it to play unprotected game discs, so anyone with a DVD burner could burn a pirated ISO onto a disc for their Xbox
Video game consoles exist for the sole purpose of playing protected content,
Consoles have never been good at handling protected content. I’m pretty sure they have higher piracy rates than PC, purely because PC will emulate them.
Pretty sure the main reason has always been form factor and self-contained. People get consoles because they don’t want the setup that a PC entails. That and up until around 10 years ago maybe, PCs were prohibitively more expensive than consoles.
But hell, even back in the 90s my first experience with Pokemon was on no$GB
I’m guessing because then states would need to heavily modify code laws on things like fire alarm requirements. Those regulations are for anyone who might have to walk into your house.
Legal and liability nightmare I’d guess. Imagine someone dies in a house fire so they sue the repair shop, or insurance refuses to pay because you modified your alarm.
For the same reason you need a licence in most places to install fire and security systems. If you make a mistake, people can die.
