French law requires Apple to display repair scores next to its products



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To comply with a new law that came into force at the start of the year in France, Apple added “repairability” scores to the products available on its French site. These ratings indicate how easy a device is to disassemble and repair, as well as the availability of replacement components and user manuals … and wouldn’t you know? The scores are pretty bad.

And the judges say … At first glance, the best Apple has to offer is a 7/10 rating for some MacBooks. Other devices did not perform as well. Let’s embarrass ourselves, okay?

As reported to The edgeApple’s entire iPhone 12 line only pulled together a measly 6/10, which is honestly a lot better than the device’s previous iteration, which scored 4.5 and 4.6 respectively. The Series 12 earned this minor rating due to the lower costs of phone spares, as well as being easier to take apart. When it comes to the different MacBooks, you can expect a repairability score of between 5.6 and 7. Definitely worth the extra, right?

Long awaited, but still in its infancy – The new repairability index came into effect as part of France’s efforts to reduce electronic waste. According to a watchdog, the country has only repaired around 40% of its devices when needed, often preferring to just throw them away and buy new ones. France aims to bring this statistic to 60% by 2026, although fines for non-compliant companies will not begin to take effect until next year.

Auspicious, at least in Europe – France’s push for repairability is accompanied by similar legislation throughout the European Union. Late last year, the EU started work on a major “right to repair” bill that aims to help consumers extend the life of their electronic and other devices, in the goal of moving the law forward later in 2021.

Meanwhile, here in the good ol ‘United States … well, you can probably guess how it goes, especially when Apple in America tends to destroy MacBook Pro batteries for no good reason. Around the same time last year, the tech giant also made it extremely difficult for small businesses looking to offer independent repairs. Oh, and then there’s the fact that Apple is killing its own SSD … We should take a cue from the EU, that’s what we’re trying to say.

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