The Federal Trade Commission has decreed that stickers on products that have warnings such as “warranty void if removed” are not valid in the United States and has also prohibited the voiding of warranties over so-called “unauthorised repairs” using unofficial parts or service providers. Electronics companies worldwide have a long history of using these stickers over screws and other entry points to prevent users or unauthorised repair providers opening up their products. The FTC is reported to have contacted six companies regarding the issue—though it didn’t name them—and has given them 30 days to respond.
Analyst Comment
This decision reflects some of the same thinking as the ‘right to repair’ movement. No doubt, makers will still be able to reject warranty claims if they find faulty components or workmanship in a repair that was not conducted by an authorised repairer. I wonder, though, about some products which can be dangerous if not correctly repaired?
The FTC did not identify the companies that it has written to, but Sony, Nintendo and Apple have all been widely suggested as being among them.
I must say that when I broke the display on my Samsung Galaxy, I was able to go on YouTube to find a video showing how to make the repair and was able to buy an original Samsung replacement part on eBay, so I was able to do the repair myself at a very reasonable cost. (BR)
