Former employees at the U.S. Agency for International Development were told they would not be required to physically turn in their work devices. | -People Image Studio/Shutterstock
The U.S. government decided not to have recently fired workers return federally issued electronics, instead noting they will be “remotely sanitized,” despite the potentially sensitive information the laptops, tablets and phones may contain. Continue Reading
Gov. Bob Ferguson has 20 days to sign the bills into law after they are delivered to his desk. | Zack Frank/Shutterstock
A right-to-repair electronics bill is sitting on the Washington governor’s desk, while a bill that would again delay the state’s extended producer responsibility program for solar panels is now law. Continue Reading
Back Market and iFixit announced a broad partnership that will see each integrate the other’s product offerings, as well as direct advocacy on right-to-repair legislation. | Courtesy of Back Market
Two big names in the electronics repair and refurbishment space are partnering up to influence consumer and manufacturer behavior and create a world where circularity is the default. Continue Reading
U.S. Public Interest Research Group released its annual ranking of device repairability. | Rabanser/Shutterstock
In this year’s “Failing the Fix” scorecard, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group said cell phones overall are getting more repairable, while laptops have stagnated. Continue Reading
Samsung Electronics launched a Circular Battery Supply Chain to recover and reuse cobalt. | MilsiArt/Shutterstock
Samsung Electronics is working to take cobalt from old Galaxy batteries and incorporate it into new batteries. Continue Reading
Apple’s iOS 18 update will expand its “Activation Lock” to include individual high-value parts, including batteries and displays. | Attila Fodemesi/Shutterstock
Apple’s latest operating system update will expand a feature unpopular with reuse and repair advocates to not just cover the phone as a whole but also individual parts. Continue Reading
The average age of iPhones at trade-in in the second quarter of 2024 was 3.8 years, while the average age of Android devices was 3.5 years.| ErickPHOTOPRO/Shutterstock
Consumers continue to hold onto devices longer before trading them in, according to second-quarter data from a trade-in company. Continue Reading
A group of e-scrap companies and organizations recommended the FCC create a system in which donated phones can be checked for theft, and then unlocked to enable reuse. | Wk1003mike/Shutterstock
In response to a Federal Communications Commission request for comment on its new phone carrier unlocking rule, e-scrap industry members urged the agency to address a different kind of software locks that prevent reuse. Continue Reading
Apple’s latest iPhone recycling robot, Daisy, can handle 29 different iPhone models. | Courtesy of Apple
As more companies look to address e-scrap recovery, some are moving away from gentle dismantling and instead aiming for speed – and Apple is now one of them. Continue Reading
uBreakiFix by Asurion offers repairs for smartphones, tablets, computers, game consoles, smart speakers, drones and more. | PRNewsfoto/Asurion
Repair company uBreakiFix by Asurion opened another franchise location in Laredo, Texas, offering repairs for consumer electronics such as smartphones, tablets, computers, game consoles, smart speakers and drones. Continue Reading