A patent dispute over screens may have wider implications for both consumers and the electronics repair industry. | Leszek Kobusinski/Shutterstock
A complaint to the U.S. International Trade Commission by one of the world’s biggest smartphone companies seeks to halt imports of some aftermarket screens into the U.S., threatening the supply of parts to independent repair shops. Continue Reading
Nokia’s G22 phone model comes with a repair kit and instructions on how to replace the battery, screen and charging port. | Courtesy of Nokia
Intel and Nokia say they are helping to enhance recyclability and make it easier to repair devices.
The latest Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker report predicted that shipments of smartphones in 2023 will see a slight decline instead of growing, as was previously forecast.| Maxx Studio/Shutterstock
After initially forecasting an increase in global smartphone shipments, the International Data Corporation now says it expects shipments to decline about 1.1% in 2023. Continue Reading
E-scrap collectors in Ghana check collected phones. | Courtesy of Closing the Loop
Mobile phone buyers in Japan will help finance African e-scrap collection and recycling, under a new partnership between FCNT, Dutch company Closing the Loop and Japanese trading giant ITOCHU.
Many of the exclusions in New York’s bill, which include motor vehicles, power tools, farm equipment and medical devices, were added after the bill hit Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk. | lev radin/Shutterstock
New York was the first state to turn a digital right-to-repair bill into law and industry experts say it will certainly not be the last, though they hope future bills will be stronger.
Consumers can now mail old Panasonic personal care devices to ERI free of charge. | Pavlo Lys/Shutterstock
Panasonic, MRM and ERI partnered to launch a mail-in recycling program for electric shavers and trimmers, and the U.S. EPA presented a circular economy-focused session. Those were only a couple of recycling-related items to emerge from this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.
In 2021, Intel maintained a rate of 5% total material to landfill and put circular strategies in place for 65% of its manufacturing scrap. | jejim/Shutterstock
Intel is trying several angles in pursuit of its goal to send zero waste to landfill, including redesign of circuit boards for easier recycling and educating consumers on how to recycle via a video game.
Microsoft is also working to expand its authorized repair network by early 2023, for customers who do not want to attempt repairs themselves. | Chie Inoue/Shutterstock
A recent teardown analysis by iFixit found that Microsoft made progress on its repairability improvement promises with the Surface Pro 9.
The “Driving Circularity” panel included (from left) Paul Walker of Samsung, Scott Shackelford of Google, Drew Tosh from Dell and Corey Dehmey of SERI. | Dan Leif/Resource Recycling, Inc.
Leaders from Dell, Google and Samsung laid out details this week on how their companies are building strategies around repair, device longevity and more.
Apple’s latest iPad Pro is made with recycled gold, copper, aluminum, tin and rare earth elements. | Courtesy of Apple
Apple has released products made with recycled metals, is reiterating a call for its suppliers to become carbon neutral and plans to adopt USB-C chargers to comply with European Union law.