Devices from Apple, Microsoft and Google are the hardest to repair, report says

Laptops and mobile phones made by Apple, Microsoft and Google are the most difficult to repair, compared to devices made by competitors such as Asus, Dell or Motorola.

It is one of the conclusions reached by the PIRG organization in the United States, which has published a report based on the data that companies have published to comply with a French law on repairability.

This establishes an index of recoverability of electronic products, for which it requires that the manufacturers of this type of device rate each of them from 0 to 10 based on the facilities they present when repairing them.

These scores are distributed as follows: from 0 to 2.99 points corresponds to the letter F, from 3 to 4.99, to D; from 5 to 6.49, with the C; from 6.5 to 7.9, with the letter B and from 8 to 10, with the letter A.

In addition, the companies analyzed have been the most popular in the US market, both for mobile devices and laptops, such as HP, Apple, Lenovo, Dell, Acer, Asus, Motorola, Samsung, Google and Microsoft.

With this resource, France seeks to help consumers choose products with better repair options and encourage companies to make products that can be fixed.

In order to bring these features to end consumers US PIRG, with the help of iFixit, has compiled repair scores for 187 laptops and mobile devices produced by ten major US manufacturers.

Instead of detailing the index scores only, this association has focused on highlighting how repairable products are and whether their manufacturers actively oppose consumers’ right to repair them.

Dell, the best valued brand in laptops

When it comes to computers, Dell ranks first for ease of disassembly of its laptops, with 7.81 points, followed by Asus (7.61), Lenovo (6.99) – which received the highest scores high for the existence of guides, as well as for the price and availability of the components- and Acer (6.87). They are followed, in a lower classification, by HP, with an average of 6.39 points.

The last places are occupied by laptops from Microsoft (4.60) and Apple (3.16). In relation to Microsoft, the report determines that there is a drawback for which it is located in the last positions of this index: access to documentation, such as service manuals, and replacement parts is limited.

The spokesman for microsoftDan Laycock, has indicated in statements collected by The Verge that “Just because Repairability Index scores are low doesn’t mean Surface products aren’t durable, reliable, or repairable.”

“We’re committed to designing our products to deliver what customers need and want in a ‘premium’ device, and that includes increasing repairability while balancing other factors like functionality, performance and security,” has added.

According to the author of the report, Nathan Proctor, Apple lost a large number of points in this classification for having been against the right to repair its products by users for a time, something that changed in November 2021.

Motorola mobiles, easier to disassemble

This opposition from the apple company has not only influenced the scores for laptops, but has also extended to its mobile phones, where it occupies the last position, with a score of 2.75. In addition, he is the only representative of category F.

In addition, from US PIRG they also point out that Google has occupied an unfavorable position, with an average of 4.64 points (D) due to being against legislation favorable to reparations.

Despite these scores, from The Verge they assure that both Google and Apple sent statements reiterating their commitment to manufacturing repairable and durable products.

With regard to mobile phones, this report also includes an additional score that measures the degree of ease of disassembly of the devices, something that for Proctor is “the permanent and universal aspect” of its repairability, according to the aforementioned medium.

In this sense, Motorola mobiles have the best score, since they are in category B with 7.77 points, followed by Samsung phones, with 5.69 points in classification C.

In the latter case, the Korean company has a higher overall score than the Chinese manufacturer, since it provides better access to manuals and repair parts. However, it detracts from the fact that its devices are more difficult to disassemble.

Thus, Motorola mobile phones were the most physically repairable of the four qualified manufacturers, but had lower parts availability than the other manufacturers.

In contrast, Samsung phones had a higher average score, but they are more difficult to open, disassemble and fix by owners, users who are not specialized in this type of repair.

“Having a repairable product requires that the product be designed to make repairs easy and that there is a supportive ecosystem where owners can access parts and documentation, and that there are a number of repair companies that provide their services”can be read in this report.

Source: Elcomercio

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