From Android to iPhone, survey finds most Americans want right to repair

The right to repair movement is gaining steam in some parts of the world, calling for manufacturers to make information, parts, and tools available online to facilitate DIY repairs. The movement also calls for the actual products to be designed with repairability in mind.

Now, a new survey by cellular signal booster firm WaveForm suggests that the overwhelming majority of Americans support right to repair legislation. The online survey of 1,065 Americans found that 74.5% of respondents support right to repair regulations. Only 1.9% of respondents said they wouldn’t support these regulations, while 23.6% didn’t care one way or the other.

The survey also found that 81.2% of respondents who identified as Democrats supported right to repair legislation, and 73.1% of people who identified as Republicans supported it. In other words, this points to bipartisan support for right to repair laws in the US.

WaveForm’s survey also broke down support levels by mobile operating system, finding that 77% of Android users were supported it, versus 72.6% of iOS users. It’s clear that both Apple and Android fans can agree that right to repair legislation is worth having.

The survey comes just over a month after the EU launched a Circular Economy Action Plan that also aims to make right to repair laws a reality. The plan calls for smartphones, tablets, and computers to be designed with repairability, upgradability, and maintenance in mind. It also pushes for easier battery replacements and a right to update obsolete software.

Those looking for a smartphone that can be easily repaired only have the Fairphone range to choose from right now. The latest model is the €450 (~$490) Fairphone 3, and it features modular components and a perfect 10 out of 10 score from repairability website iFixit. Hopefully we see more phones like these in the near future.