Right to repair: Oregon has enacted a Right to Repair legislation this week, marking the first of its kind to specifically address and prohibit the practice of parts pairing. The new law prevents manufacturers such as Apple from mandating the use of exclusively Apple-sourced parts, which must then be authenticated. Under the bill, Apple device owners are granted the freedom to utilise new parts, pre-owned components, or third-party alternatives.

Despite Apple's introduction of repair tools accessible to both independent repair shops and consumers, the requirement remains that repair components must be procured directly from Apple. 

These components must undergo pairing with a device's serial number post-installation, effectively restricting unauthorised repairs using third-party components. The legislation explicitly prohibits companies from diminishing a device's performance or issuing misleading warnings regarding parts lacking proper pairing.

Hailed as the most robust Right to Repair law to date by repair platform iFixit, Oregon's legislation incorporates vital consumer protections. Independent repair shops are mandated to possess a "valid and unexpired certification," ensuring the technician undertaking the repair possesses the requisite technical expertise for a successful resolution.

The removal of the parts pairing restriction is expected to empower independent repair shops to undertake a broader range of repairs without exclusive reliance on Apple-provided components.

Furthermore, the legislation mandates manufacturers to make available parts, tools, documentation, and software for smartphones manufactured from 2021 onwards. Similarly, for other electronic devices like computers, the provisions apply to products produced from 2015 onwards.

Despite Apple's lack of support for Oregon's Right to Repair bill, citing potential safety and security concerns for consumers, the company is obligated to adhere to the parts pairing provision for products manufactured after January 1, 2025.