A Tuesday report by Motherboard says Apple is planning to send a company representative to testify in opposition to Nebraska’s proposed “Right to Repair” bill. If passed, the legislation would require the Cupertino firm to provide consumers and third-party repair shops with parts and service manuals.
Nebraska is one of eight states that are considering right to repair bills; last month, Nebraska, Minnesota, New York, Massachusetts, Kansas, and Wyoming introduced legislation. Last week, lawmakers in Illinois and Tennessee officially introduced similar bills.
Motherboard’s source tells them Apple intends to send a representative, staffer or lobbyist to testify against the bill at a hearing in Lincoln on March 9. AT&T will join Apple in fighting the bill. Both companies will argue the proposed bill, if it becomes law, would harm consumers who perform the repairs themselves or have a third-party shop perform the repairs.
Apple and AT&T are expected to raise the specter of dangerous issues such as lithium batteries catching fire following such repairs. Battery fires are a “hot topic” following a series of fires and explosions caused by faulty batteries in Samsung’s Note 7 handsets last year.
Apple has long maintained that its products should only be repaired or serviced by qualified technicians. The company provides authorized repairs via its own website, at Apple retail stores, and through a network of authorized repair centers. The Cupertino firm maintains an authorized repair network provides customers with a consistent and safe repair experience.
