eurogamer Microsoft considering changed approach to right-to-repair

[ENTERPRISE]

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Microsoft is re-considering its approach to right-to-repair following pressure from shareholders.

 

As reported by Grist (via VG247), the shareholder advocacy group As You Sow filed a report in June urging Microsoft to analyse the "environmental and social benefits" of making device repair easier, so that consumers can repair their own tech.

 

Source

 

This is certainly welcome news. Will be interesting how far they go with it.

[Sir Beregond]

Related but also unrelated, my Samsung Gear S3 smart watch I've had for almost 4 years now had finally bit the dust with regard to the battery. I started looking online thinking oh god, going to have to buy a new watch. Then I thought, I wonder if I could find a replacement battery and instructions for how to replace. Sure enough I did and it became a $15 battery replacement (plus tool kit) vs $400 for a new watch. It's not a waterproof watch anymore, but that never mattered to me for my usage. It now runs like its brand new.

 

One of the things I realized after removing and properly disposing of the severely puffy old battery was how bad an idea it was (similar to these bluetooth winless earbuds), how their storage caddies or cases are also the chargers which may lend one to just keep fully charged devices on it when not in use and how bad that is for the battery. It's like planned obselecense.