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Microsoft has agreed to ask an independent third party to study the potential impact of easier repair of its devices and make changes based on those results by the end of 2022, according to Grist and shareholder advocacy group As You Sow. The deal was reached after As You Sow filed a shareholder resolution asking Microsoft to consider the potential impact it could have by making it easier for consumers to repair their devices. As You Sow withdrew its resolution in exchange for Microsoft conducting the study and making parts and documentation available to repair shops that are not official Microsoft service providers based on study results.
As You Sow calls Microsoft’s commitment an “encouraging step,” but it should be kept in perspective that it is only a step – what Microsoft actually did today is have a study done and then use it to “guide” their “product design and plans to expand device repair options “, according to a statement sent by email to The edge by a Microsoft spokesperson. The fact that the company is at least willing to do it is encouraging and is more than what other tech giants have done when it comes to repair rights. But without details, it’s hard to say what impact this will have.
It’s also unclear whether the public will end up getting these details or not. According to GristMicrosoft will have to publish a summary of the study by May 2022, but not the study itself (citing concerns about trade secrets). That said, it should be easy to tell if Microsoft is keeping its word on this – it will either become easier to have your Surface Pro or Xbox fixed at a third-party store, or it won’t.
Grist also cites iFixit’s US Policy Directory, which refers to Microsoft’s lobbying efforts. According to the US Public Interest Research Group (or US PIRG), Microsoft has been lobbying against right to repair laws in Colorado and Washington. If this kind of behavior continues, it would be difficult to provide Microsoft Accessories for any positive work it does for the right to repair.
Despite the caveats, supporters of the right to repair see this deal as a good thing. IFixit CEO Kyle Wiens called it a “significant and historic movement” on Twitter and, in an e-mail to The edge, said it “wasn’t just a discussion,” citing the improvements the Surface Laptop has made in terms of repairability over the years. PRIG’s Right to Repair Campaign Director also said The edge that this was “the real deal” and cited it as evidence as Microsoft’s “changing tone” on the right to repair. If it ends up making meaningful changes, Microsoft could have a head start when it comes to reducing the impact of its products on e-waste and emissions – President Joe Biden and the FTC have worked hard crack down on businesses make it harder for consumers to get their devices repaired.
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