To participate in its Independent Repair Program, shops would be required to provide customer information to Apple. | Karol Ciesluk/Shutterstock
Documents obtained by Motherboard show just how onerous the requirements will be for repair shops wanting to participate in Apple’s new Independent Repair Program.
The significant growth in iFixit users from 2016 to 2018 seems to underscore ongoing interest in independent device repair. | Golubovy/Shutterstock
In a new academic paper, Josh Lepawsky examines the growth of do-it-yourself repair through the lens of iFixit’s worldwide expansion.
Free Geek Toronto received its first load of devices from Lanner this month. | New Africa/Shutterstock
A global OEM is working with a nonprofit recycling organization to get returned devices refurbished for reuse by individuals that otherwise wouldn’t have access to them.
EcoATM owns mobile device buy-back kiosks in thousands of retail locations around the country. | ZikG/Shutterstock
Used phone purchasing company ecoATM appears to be bouncing back and growing rapidly, after it suffered financial losses and laid off staff in earlier years.
Cascade’s annual report includes data the company collected on the 560,000 assets it processed in 2018 and 2019. | fizkes/Shutterstock
Resale values for used computers declined in 2019 after multiple years of increases, according to an ITAD firm. One possible culprit is generators opting for device destruction over data wiping.
In his apology, Sonos CEO Patrick Spence pledged the company would keep legacy products updated with bug fixes and security patches for as long as possible. | ClassyPictures/Shutterstock
The leader of electronics manufacturer Sonos apologized amid controversy over his company’s decision to end software updates for old smart speaker systems, assuring customers the devices won’t become obsolete.
4L Holdings, the parent company for Clover Wireless, voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December. | TheaDesign/Shutterstock
A major North American phone repair and remarketing company has received court approval to restructure its debt, allowing it to come out of bankruptcy in the coming days.
In Olympia, Wash., right-to-repair proponents and opponents testified during a Jan. 21 hearing in front of the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee. | jfergusonphotos/Shutterstock
Electronics repair stakeholders clashed over right-to-repair legislation in Washington state this week, as a number of state legislatures begin taking up similar bills.
U.S. smart speaker brand Sonos made recycling-related waves recently. | Vantage_DS/Shutterstock
From tiny startups to one of the world’s most valuable companies, electronics manufacturers have made reuse- and recycling-related headlines in recent weeks. The following is a handful of notable developments.
Since the program launched in April, it has refurbished 34,000 devices for resale back into the domestic market. | Courtesy of Skullcandy.
A manufacturer and a California processor are working together to process returned audio equipment for reuse and recycling.