Apple's anti-repair and anti-refurbishment practices: Difference between revisions
→Relevant incidents: Add drafts for Greenwashing, underpowered base models, blocking third party app and browser installs. Needs more work and sources. |
→Relevant incidents: Added a basic draft about activation lock, but this could use reworking by someone more familiar with how it works in detail |
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===Blocking operating system downgrades<!-- Will emulate "Operating system downgrades" from parent article -->=== | ===Blocking operating system downgrades<!-- Will emulate "Operating system downgrades" from parent article -->=== | ||
=== | === Activation Lock === | ||
Apple | Apple prevents activation of devices that have not been unlocked by the initial owner before giving them away, selling or recycling them. | ||
The reason cited by Apple is theft prevention, but it has been argued that this practice may be in place to prevent second hand sales and recycling of devices since they would compete with new devices, and Apple only makes a profit on the latter. | |||
Apple | |||
This leads to a colossal amount of e-waste from devices where the previous owner has not disabled the activation lock. It also makes the devices dependent on Apple services. If Apple one day decides to no longer support this procedure for a particular model, it becomes impossible to use. Aside from putting undue restrictions on what consumers can do with their devices, this also makes historic preservation very challenging. | |||
=== Underpowered base models === | A simple solution to the theft problem could be to send previous owners an e-mail to the address linked to their Apple ID with an option to either consent to the release of the activation lock or report their device as stolen. A default answer (either allow or deny unlock) could be chosen if the user does not make a choice within a reasonable timeframe, for instance if the e-mail address is no longer in use. However, Apple has so far chosen not to implement a system like this. | ||
===Underpowered base models=== | |||
Most contemporary Apple devices do not have upgradeable or replaceable storage and memory. | Most contemporary Apple devices do not have upgradeable or replaceable storage and memory. | ||
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Since many of these devices are not user upgradeable, this floods both the used market and the landfills with unnecessarily underpowered devices that could otherwise be used for many more years. | Since many of these devices are not user upgradeable, this floods both the used market and the landfills with unnecessarily underpowered devices that could otherwise be used for many more years. | ||
=== Blocking third party apps === | ===Blocking third party apps=== | ||
Apple only allows apps to be installed on their mobile devices through their own App Store (there are exceptions to this in the European Union, but due to what many have called Malicious Compliance, this possibility is more of theoretical nature). | Apple only allows apps to be installed on their mobile devices through their own App Store (there are exceptions to this in the European Union, but due to what many have called [[Malicious Compliance]], this possibility is more of theoretical nature). | ||
When a device loses manufacturer support and the App Store stops working, or when Apple deletes or blocks versions of apps from the store which are compatible with that version of the operating system, the user no longer has any way to install or re-install any software on their devices. | When a device loses manufacturer support and the App Store stops working, or when Apple deletes or blocks versions of apps from the store which are compatible with that version of the operating system, the user no longer has any way to install or re-install any software on their devices. | ||
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Moreover, Apple does not appear to always test new versions of apps on old hardware, so sometimes the last update to an app breaks it for that device, sometimes due to bugs, sometimes due to increased memory requirements.[1] Since the App Store allows no downgrades, this leaves the user with an app that is unusable on that model of device. If Apple allowed either app downgrades or independent installation of apps, these devices would remain completely functional for users of those apps. | Moreover, Apple does not appear to always test new versions of apps on old hardware, so sometimes the last update to an app breaks it for that device, sometimes due to bugs, sometimes due to increased memory requirements.[1] Since the App Store allows no downgrades, this leaves the user with an app that is unusable on that model of device. If Apple allowed either app downgrades or independent installation of apps, these devices would remain completely functional for users of those apps. | ||
=== Blocking third party browsers === | ===Blocking third party browsers=== | ||
Apple does not allow other browser engines other than their own Safari engine on their mobile operating systems. While the EU is an exception due to regulatory constraints, Apple has put conditions in place that make this so unattractive for both developers and users that at the time of writing, no browser vendor offers their engine to Apple's mobile devices. | Apple does not allow other browser engines other than their own Safari engine on their mobile operating systems. While the EU is an exception due to regulatory constraints, Apple has put conditions in place that make this so unattractive for both developers and users that at the time of writing, no browser vendor offers their engine to Apple's mobile devices. | ||