EU wants device packaging to indicate reparability, durability

[HEXUS]

It is aiming to tackle planned obsolescence and discourage things like glued in batteries.

Read more.

[GinoLatino]

Take that Apple

[Tabbykatze]

Take that Apple

Apple won't care, their Ts&Cs and support details are to take it to Apple for all issues. None of it is designed to be a "do it yourself".

Same with Microsoft and the Surface Laptop.

It may change things, but not dramatically.

[GinoLatino]

Take that Apple

Apple won't care...

They will if they have to comply.

[jimbouk]

Could be the same thing happened with car warranties. Your local high-street phone repairer could have access to genuine parts for a reasonable price and be able to repair a phone (for example) without affecting the device warranty.

[peterb]

Take that Apple

And Microsoft and Samsung and.....<pick mfr of choice> etc

[Corky34]

The 2014 Eurobarometer survey did not find that 77% of EU consumers "would rather repair their goods than buy new ones, it found that 77% make an effort to get broken appliances repaired before buying new ones, EU consumers who said they throw things away as it is difficult or too expensive to get them repaired was 39%.

In this case it seems like the EU is trying to meddle in something that's working fairly well already.

[b0redom]

They will if they have to comply.

Not really. They'll just have to put:

"This device contains no user repairable parts." or similar on the box. Same as pretty much every appliance manufacturer.

I can't see that harming their business model in the slightest.

[HW90]

They will if they have to comply.

Not really. They'll just have to put:

"This device contains no user repairable parts." or similar on the box. Same as pretty much every appliance manufacturer.

I can't see that harming their business model in the slightest.

It's quite likely that the EU is using this as a basis upon which to introduce legislation which punishes manufacturers for irreparability, at which point it will.

[LSG501]

From what I read this is to get more 'repair work' done in the EU, so money basically although they're using 'recycling' as the reasoning behind it.

If it's recycling then MS/Apple et al will likely be fine because all of their products can be dismantled and put back together, its just not something that someone at home can do with a screwdriver which to be fair if you want thin/light/small etc then you can't expect it to be repairable by household tools.

As someone who actually works in the design sector relating to product design I can tell you first hand that to introduce screws into the thin and light designs that we have now due to glue would likely make the product thicker and heavier.

[Biscuit]

It's quite likely that the EU is using this as a basis upon which to introduce legislation which punishes manufacturers for irreparability, at which point it will.

Which no doubt will be seen as negative meddling rather than a positive approach to a sustainable future.

[HW90]

It's quite likely that the EU is using this as a basis upon which to introduce legislation which punishes manufacturers for irreparability, at which point it will.

Which no doubt will be seen as negative meddling rather than a positive approach to a sustainable future.

Maybe in the UK, not anywhere in the EU though.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

How is this a bad thing again?? Companies making things non-repairable are doing it so instead of a cheaper repair you buy another new product from them,and it makes them more money whilst probably costing the consumer more.

It also smacks of hypocrisy too when everyone is going on about renewable energy and electric cars,whilst ignoring the big issue with electronic waste which is usually dumped in third world countries.

[kompukare]

About time. Hope it's the start of some strong anti-consumerism legislation although for the UK it probably won't make any difference because of Brexit.

And yes, Apple (and all the recent copy-cats now making equally disposable goods) really ought to be worried because the logical outcome of this is that eventually the non-repairable goods will higher taxes on them, as should non-recyclable items.

Of course, by the time strong environmental legislation finally comes a major environmental collapse will probably be well on it's way.

[peterb]

How is this a bad thing again?? Companies making things non-repairable are doing it so instead of a cheaper repair you buy another new product from them,and it makes them more money whilst probably costing the consumer more.

It also smacks of hypocrisy too when everyone is going on about renewable energy and electric cars,whilst ignoring the big issue with electronic waste which is usually dumped in third world countries.

Depends on the cost of the repair of course. One of the drivers towards the 'disposable' culture is the high cost of labour. I did a repair of a digital alarm clock - a duff capacitor as it happens, costing abut 20p, but it took an our to dismantle it and put it back together - so if I had been charging for that, it would have cost more than a replacement. Have repaired a few items like that (because I can) but it wouldn't have been economical to pay for them to be repaired.

[BobF64]

Not really. They'll just have to put:

"This device contains no user repairable parts." or similar on the box. Same as pretty much every appliance manufacturer.

Unless the EU then require them to put an expected lifespan on the product, whilst requiring the manufacturer to repair/replace the item for that duration.

Given choices between something that says "2 years" compared to "5 years", thats likely to drive buyers towards the longer lifespan items.