Google Formally Endorses Right to Repair, Will Lobby to Pass Repair Laws | Hacker News Reader

Google Formally Endorses Right to Repair, Will Lobby to Pass Repair Laws

404media.co

22 pointscoloneltcb13 comments

> Crucially, Google specifically says that regulators should ban “parts pairing,” which is a tactic used by Apple, John Deere, and other major manufacturers to artificially restrict which repair parts can be used with a given device: “Policies should constrain OEMs from imposing unfair anti-repair practices. For example, parts-pairing, the practice of using software barriers to obstruct consumers and independent repair shops from replacing components, or other restrictive impediments to repair should be discouraged,” the white paper says.

Google already collaborates with iFixit for Pixel parts, so they're likely already following these laws.

Of course it's easy for Google have an opinion when they barely exist in the smartphone market.

they could do the bare minimum and open source the real Android they ship.

What part are you referring to? You want to have a bunch of code that uses Google internal libraries and calls Google internal services that won't compile outside of Google?

what are you on about? even the launcher is closed source now... have you used any google phone since 2017? pixel, Nexus or even the Motorola period ones?

Hasn’t Google denied repair of Pixel watches still under warranty with cracked screens lately? Cited in the Verge: „… we don’t have any repair option for the Google Pixel Watch.“ [1] shouldn’t they improve their own RtR options before demanding to change Apples existing? (I agree part pairing isn’t great, but Google fighting for RtR is double speak.)

[1] https://www.theverge.com/23874281/google-pixel-watch-cracks-...

Yeah, it's bullshit.

More info here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV5bBSZX00E

Somehow knew this would be a Louis Rossman link. Figures.

Phone theft is gonna be wild again without part pairing.

I don't think it should be the responsibility of your device to make itself as close to useless as possible to deter theft. Besides, most thieves rarely do their due diligence on checking what phone maker or model it is, they just swipe it out of your pocket and sell it to the nearest pawnshop. Groups sophisticated enough to smuggle parts already do so with Apple's anti-repair measures. Besides, wouldn't such legislation force Apple to sell official new parts, removing the need to harvest them from existing phones?

It changes the risk rewards curve and mare it more likely for thieves to abandon the device.

If you want a device without node locking and part pairing then go buy one - most android phones are still like that.

Yes, thats why it never happens in wallet gardens.

https://nypost.com/2021/06/07/apple-settled-after-repair-tec...

>Apple has paid a multimillion-dollar settlement to a woman who sent her iPhone in for repair and had her private racy images and a sex video

1. It's a matter of rates, not ifs 2. It's is a lot easier to track hardware you originated than datayou didn't.

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