Right To Repair Microsoft Says Itll Try To Make Its Hardware Repairable

Right To Repair: Microsoft Says It’ll Try To Make Its Hardware Repairable

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Microsoft has agreed to an independent third-party study on the social, economic, and environmental impacts of easier-to-repair products.

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Right To Repair Microsoft Says Itll Try To Make Its Hardware Repairable

Microsoft has become the first major US tech company to publicly commit towards making its hardware easier to repair. It is a step in the right direction that is being cheered by consumer activists, but much more needs to be done if right-to-repair is to become a reality. The ability to repair electronic gadgets rather than throwing them away is not only more economically viable for consumers, it is also an environment-friendly option that can reduce electronic waste, or e-waste, which is becoming an increasing problem with each passing year.

While Apple has often been in the crosshairs of right-to-repair activists for its notoriously difficult-to-repair products, other major electronics manufacturers have also been taking the cue from the Cupertino giant and making their products increasingly harder to repair, which typically leads to shorter replacement cycles and ensures higher profits. Microsoft’s Surface hardware are some of the least repairable consumer products around, but the latest commitment from the company might go a long way towards changing that for the better.

Aa noted by Grist, Microsoft signed an agreement this week with shareholder advocacy non-profit ‘As You Sow’ to conduct an independent third-party study on the social, economic, and environmental impacts of easier-to-repair products. The agreement, which has reportedly come through after “months of negotiations,” includes not only an assurance to act on the findings of the study, but also a firm commitment to do so by the end of next year.

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What Does Microsoft’s Commitment Mean For Apple?

In a statement confirming its stance, Microsoft said that the results of the study will be an important part of its future plans and would guide the company in its upcoming product roadmap. According to a Microsoft spokesperson, the results will be used “for expanding device repair options for our customers.” For its part, As You Sow says it is very happy with the Microsoft agreement and hopes more companies will agree to similar commitments towards making repair-related tools and information more accessible.

Alongside Microsoft, right-to-repair activists are also said to be in negotiations with Apple and Deer & Co. (of John Deere fame) to make their products more repairable. Per the report, an activist mutual fund called Green Century has filed right-to-repair resolutions against these two companies as part of its policy of ‘environmentally responsible investing.’ It’s not immediately clear if these activist investors will help reduce Apple’s hostility against third-party repairs, but it will likely take a lot more effort to get more repairable iPhones and Macs in the foreseeable future.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/right-to-repair-microsoft-says-itll-try-to-make-its-hardware-repairable/

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