The right to repair is crucial — and it’s something we should all be advocating for. We need to support companies that allow end users (like you and me) to repair the products we’ve spent our hard-earned money on.
Many companies give little consideration to the repairability of their products, particularly electronic devices such as laptops, phones, and game consoles. These companies would rather have you purchase a new product instead of repairing the one you own, as it’s far more profitable for them. Additionally, this strategy helps them remove potential competition from the second-hand market.
Some companies even go so far as to deliberately make their products difficult to repair. They use flimsy plastic moldings designed to break if tampered with, making it nearly impossible to put the product back together. When combined with planned obsolescence, these companies engage in unethical practices that hurt us, the consumers, while padding their bottom line.
In economics and industrial design, planned obsolescence (also called built-in obsolescence or premature obsolescence) refers to the strategy of designing a product with an artificially limited lifespan or a deliberately fragile design. The goal is to make the product obsolete after a predetermined period, forcing consumers to buy new products, either because the old ones stop working or are perceived as outdated – Text sourced from Wikipedia
One of the main reasons I purchased a Framework laptop is because it was designed from the ground up with repairability in mind. Both first-party and third-party parts can be replaced using nothing but the included Framework screwdriver, and step-by-step guides are available directly on their website.
This feature came in handy just last week when I had to replace the display on my Framework 13. If it had been almost any other laptop, I would likely be in the market for a new one and significantly out of pocket. Instead, for just £160 and 15 minutes of my time, I was able to buy and install a new display.
If you’re curious about how repairable your devices are, you can find a wealth of information on the iFixIt website: https://www.ifixit.com/repairability.
The next time you’re shopping for a new device, I hope you’ll consider the manufacturer’s stance on repairability and lean towards a reputable brand that respects your right to repair.