PlanITROI partnered with Microsoft to provide free refurbished laptops to digitally underserved students in El Paso, Texas and Memphis, Tenn. | Courtesy of PlanITROI
The nonprofit arm of ITAD firm PlanITROI partnered with Microsoft to provide hundreds of refurbished laptops to low-income students of color in Texas and Tennessee.
Proposed national legislation follows a flurry of state right-to-repair bills that were introduced this year. | EQRoy / Shutterstock
A federal lawmaker has introduced legislation requiring electronics manufacturers to provide resources facilitating independent device repair. Repair advocates say it’s the first such bill to hit the national stage.
The New York Senate approved right-to-repair legislation on the same day the state’s legislative session concluded. | Harold Stiver / Shutterstock
The New York State Senate this month voted in favor of legislation providing public access to electronic device repair tools and resources. A tight legislative timeline meant it didn’t advance further, but repair advocates called it a milestone achievement.
The company noted the investment money will be used to build and deploy thousands of automated kiosks across the U.S., Europe and Asia. | goir / Shutterstock
Mobile device collector and resale firm ecoATM Gazelle has raised $75 million to roll out its automated kiosks in more locations around the world.
Three years ago, repair advocacy group iFixit partnered with Samsung to support the Galaxy Upcycling project. | Resource Recycling file photo
Once a partner in Samsung’s “Galaxy Upcycling” project, device repair organization iFixit now says the OEM has watered down the initiative to something “nearly unrecognizable.”
The GSA said the move reduces the government’s exposure to electronics that are outdated and don’t meet current standards. | Rena Schild/Shutterstock
This story has been corrected.
The federal government plans to cease buying refurbished and used IT equipment through its main acquisition arm, the General Services Administration. The move could hurt dozens of suppliers.
Back Market works with 1,500 sellers on its used device marketplace platform. | OtmarW / Shutterstock
Back Market this week announced an investment round delivering the company $335 million, the latest large dollar figure raised by the refurbished electronics business.
Recently the FTC said it would help with legislative efforts to increase consumer access to device repair. | Mark Van Scyoc / Shutterstock
When OEMs restrict the independent repair of electronics, they’re disproportionately hurting communities of color and lower-income people, federal regulators said.
Legislation addressing electronics repair has advanced in Massachusetts, among other states. | Real Window Creative / Shutterstock
More than 40 legislative proposals have been introduced across the country covering repair of a variety of equipment types, and electronics-focused bills remain active in at least nine states.
An analyst says that consumers are becoming more willing to buy used electronics. | Filippo Carlot / Shutterstock
A consultant who helps develop consumer electronics trade-in programs says the computer chip crunch is helping to fuel secondary device markets.