Peripheral company Logitech has struck a deal with repair group iFixit to begin selling components and repair manuals for some models of computer mice.
From the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, parts for Logitech mice will be available through iFixit’s Logitech Repair Hub, but only for the Logitech MX Master and MX Anywhere. Logitech called these “launch products” for collaboration. As is usually the case with iFixit repair alliances, genuine replacement parts for Logitech mice will be available individually or as part of kits that also include all necessary tools.
“More can be done by brands and broader value chains that want to play an active role in the transition to a more circular economy,” said Prakash Aronkundrum, Logitech’s chief operating officer. “I am excited that we are able to collaborate with iFixit to develop better designs and make it easier for consumers to have the option to self-repair to extend the life of our products.”
Repairability – we’ve all heard about it
In announcing the partnership, Logitech said it is committed to addressing the growing challenge of e-waste, most of which ends up in landfills. Part of that commitment, Logitech said, is a sustainable design model that increases the life of hardware and makes it easier to repair if damaged.
As for the wear and tear that can be fixed under the iFixit program…that’s limited at the moment. Come summer, Series 2 or 3 owners of the Logitech MX Master or MX Anywhere will be able to order new batteries, feet, and screws for their mouse, but that’s it. It is hoped that other malfunctioning parts, such as a worn switch or scroll wheel, will eventually become available; Logitech did not immediately respond to our inquiries about the repair software.
Not many mice are past their fifth birthday
It’s hard to get a handle on how many computer mice are put in the trash each year, but US electronics recycler ERI said the mouse was one of the shortest-lived computer peripherals, with nearly 100 percent of mice reaching the end of their lives by The five years. general sign. According to ERI, 23.5 million computer mice were sold globally in 2010. However, in the same year only 7.8 million were recycled, and those mouse margins may be slimmer because ERI’s stats mix mice and keyboards into one category.
French officials are investigating Apple over the planned obsolescence
Following complaints from French right-to-repair advocacy group Halt Planned Obsolescence (HOP), the Paris prosecutor’s office said it was investigating Apple over its actions to limit the possibility of repair.
HOP’s complaint hinges on Apple using Apple to associate the serial number of its repair parts, restricting the possibility of repair by requiring that the parts be registered with Apple and associated with the device’s IMEI number. HOP said this allows Apple to restrict the sale and installation of generic parts in addition to official Apple-installed components by third-party repair shops.
French officials said the investigation has been ongoing since December.
According to the United Nations Global E-waste Report 2020, latest edition, 53.6 metric tons of e-waste were generated globally in 2019, up 21 percent in just five years. The United Nations classifies e-waste as any waste with a battery or plug, and predicts the world will reach 74 metric tons of annual e-waste by 2030.
“This makes e-waste the world’s fastest growing household waste stream, fueled primarily by higher consumption rates for electrical and electronic equipment, short life cycles and few repair options,” said the UN.
Reform laws have slowly expanded in reach over the past few years. In the European Union, the proposed rules would add electronic devices to existing lists of devices that must be designed with repairability in mind if they are sold in the European Economic Area.
The UK’s Right to Repair rules, which come into force in 2021, require similar post-warranty repairability, but exclude electronic devices such as laptops, smartphones and tablets from the rules. The United States lacks rules for a federal right to repair, but many states have issued their own repair bills. Only New York, which passed a stripped-down version of its electronics reform law with serious industry concessions, covers consumer electronics; Other state laws affect things like farm equipment and wheelchairs, but not smartphones and computer components. ®
#Logitech #iFixit #offer #parts #prevent #people #computer #mouse