The right to repair movement has gained a new ally in the form of Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. Wozniak recently shared his thoughts on right to repair in the form of a 10-minute video, noting at one point that Apple wouldn’t exist as it does today without open, accessible technology.
Right to repair is essentially the idea that consumer tech gadgets should be as easily repairable as possible. That can mean taking a broken phone to a third-party repair store or someone being able to repair it at home. Many tech companies stand in the way of this idea, often using proprietary components and overly complicated designs — thus making their own repair services the only viable option for getting a device fixed. Apple has been especially targeted for this anti-repair stance, with the FTC calling out the iconic fruit brand in May 2021 for imposing “anti-competitive repair restrictions” on its products.
As for how Wozniak got to talking about this, it all stemmed from YouTuber Louis Rossmann. Rossmann is one of the biggest advocates for right to repair, and he recently requested Wozniak share his thoughts on the topic via video site Cameo. Wozniak responded to the request, and rather than giving his thoughts in just a few seconds, he did so in the form of a 10-minute video.
What Wozniak Thinks About Right To Repair & Apple
Wozniak makes it clear right off the bat that he’s a supporter of right to repair. He notes at one point in the video that gadgets used to be incredibly easy for anyone to repair, saying, “Back then, when you bought electronic things like TVs and radios, every bit of the circuits and designs were included on the paper.” He goes on to comment how, “Even non-technical family members could pull out the tubes…and find a tube tester… and if it was bad, buy a new tube. Everyone did this all the time back then.” It’s a much different picture than what’s present today. If someone’s iPhone or iPad breaks, the chances are very slim they’ll be able to repair it themselves. Instead, their best bet is to take it to the nearest Apple Store, pay Apple’s repair fee, and call it a day.
Commenting on Apple, specifically, Wozniak effectively says that Apple wouldn’t exist in a world without easily repairable products. He notes that “We wouldn’t have had an Apple, had I not grown up in a very open technology world.” A perfect example of this is the Apple II computer which was released in 1977. It was very approachable for people that wanted to tinker with its components and repair it if needed, similar to other gadgets of the time. As Wozniak says, “Look at the Apple II. It shipped with full schematics… this product was the only source of profits for Apple for the first ten years of the company.” The openness of Apple II is what made it so appealing to so many people, and without that, the Apple as everyone knows it today may never have existed.
Although one video from Wozniak won’t magically improve Apple’s anti-repair practices overnight, having the support of such an influential person is a notable win for right to repair. This is someone that was with Apple at the very beginning — someone that helped created some of its most important products. Now, he’s publicly speaking out against how the company is handling its stance on repairs. That’s nothing to scoff at. As Wozniak winds down his video, he ends on a note that summarizes the whole repair debate as simply as possible. “Is it your computer? Or is it some company’s computer? Think about that. It’s time to start doing the right things.”
