When Apple vocally switched sides to support California’s “right to repair” law, I knew there had to be a catch. Cory Doctorow explains the catch eloquently.
Apple uses VIN locking or parts pairing which is a process also used by car makers, printer manufacturers & Medtronic ventilators that requires a secret code from the manufacturer to enable replacement parts to be recognized. Bypassing it violates the DMCA which as a federal law beats state laws.
Checkmate!
https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/22/vin-locking/#thought-differently
Wow, this:
> Of course, the easiest way to prevent harvested components from entering the parts stream is to destroy as many old devices as possible. That's why #Apple's so-called "#recycling" program shreds any devices you turn over to them. When you trade in your old iPhone at an Apple Store, it is converted into immortal e-waste (no other major recycling program does this). The logic is straightforward: no parts, no repairs:
> https://www.vice.com/en/article/yp73jw/apple-recycling-iphones-macbooks
Thanks for pointing this out, I should have mentioned it.
