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Smartphone makers don't bother to comply with EU repairability requirements

theregister.com

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Re: Smartphone makers don't bother to comply with EU repairability requirements

#161

Post by bsder »

KaiserPro wrote: post #4

As its the EU and regulation, its time to trott out your hobby horse. So let me trot out mine: regulation is good so long as it is backed up by even handed, robust, transparent, quick and effective sanctions. the Online safety act is a good example of a bad law, which is enforced badly. The first big test (X producing industrial quantities of minors engaging in sexual activity) was failed. Had a small company produce…

> So let me trot out mine: regulation is good so long as it is backed up by even handed, robust, transparent, quick and effective sanctions.

The issue is that people want quick sanctions until they wind up on the wrong end of the pointy spear--at which point they want accurate sanctions.

The problem is that quick and accurate are opposing forces when it comes to sanctions.

Re: Smartphone makers don't bother to comply with EU repairability requirements

#163

Post by mitxela »

bsder wrote: post #161
KaiserPro wrote: post #4

As its the EU and regulation, its time to trott out your hobby horse. So let me trot out mine: regulation is good so long as it is backed up by even handed, robust, transparent, quick and effective sanctions. the Online safety act is a good example of a bad law, which is enforced badly. The first big test (X producing industrial quantities of minors engaging in sexual activity) was failed. Had a small company produce…

> So let me trot out mine: regulation is good so long as it is backed up by even handed, robust, transparent, quick and effective sanctions. The issue is that people want quick sanctions until they wind up on the wrong end of the pointy spear--at which point they want accurate sanctions. The problem is that quick and accurate are opposing forces when it comes to sanctions.

True.

As an example of sanctions both quick and accurate, X in Brazil. All ISPs blocked it and it was a crime to use X until Elon complied. Of course many people still accessed X through VPNs, but public figures couldn't because they'd be charged.

However, basically the same mechanism lets Spain block Cloudflare on Saturdays, which is bad. Even though I hate Cloudflare, that's worse.

Re: Smartphone makers don't bother to comply with EU repairability requirements

#164

Post by mitxela »

noir_lord wrote: post #17
KaiserPro wrote: post #4

As its the EU and regulation, its time to trott out your hobby horse. So let me trot out mine: regulation is good so long as it is backed up by even handed, robust, transparent, quick and effective sanctions. the Online safety act is a good example of a bad law, which is enforced badly. The first big test (X producing industrial quantities of minors engaging in sexual activity) was failed. Had a small company produce…

Sadly that mess had a political component, any attempt to regulate US big tech results in howls from over the Atlantic. Frankly, I'd prefer it if we just let them howl and said fuck it more but it's probably a good job I'm not making those decisions (and in honesty the picture is complex for companies that size/the politics).

Would that happen before or after weaning Europeans off American tech dopamine?

Re: Smartphone makers don't bother to comply with EU repairability requirements

#165

Post by mitxela »

WarmWash wrote: post #155
rfrey wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Child porn is an unavoidable consequence of having computers? Is that what you meant to say? I doubt it but can't find another reading of your comment.

Right, I'm just as confused about it as the person I was replying to. The connection is so detached it doesn't make sense..

It's relevant because the thing X was getting punished for was releasing huge quantities of AI child porn of real children.

Re: Smartphone makers don't bother to comply with EU repairability requirements

#166

Post by mitxela »

oblio wrote: post #62
WarmWash wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>They use American software products because frequently there are no alternatives Hint hint

Hint hint to what? South Korea is a very dynamic, tech heavy country and it hasn't managed to push any software product as a market leader. The EU is bigger, but it's fractured, so functionally it's basically 2-3x South Korea in terms of "software power". And that's not enough to compete with the much larger US juggernaut. Only China has managed to hold its own by simply banning US software all together. I'm actually…

Hint hint, if you're European, wake up and make some good software!

Re: Smartphone makers don't bother to comply with EU repairability requirements

#167

Post by mitxela »

nradov wrote: post #88
WarmWash wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Europe had the opportunity to create a silicon valley 30 years ago. They fumbled it so badly that most euro tech talent went to the US and worked or even founded their companies there. They still have not (and likely never will) implement the general reforms needed to create fertile grounds for tech to compete with the US. If the current EU mindset existed 150 years ago, they would have banned steam engines because t…

You will actually find European HN users who will unironically say that we should have never started using fossil fuel engines at all.

starting was okay but it got way out of control.

The environment can absorb pollution, just not as quickly as we're currently polluting. It's okay to emit pollution sometimes. I'm totally in favor of heritage railways running their ancient smoke-belching steam trains on the third Sunday of every month so we can see them go. Just not every day.

Re: Smartphone makers don't bother to comply with EU repairability requirements

#168

Post by mitxela »

Frieren wrote: post #145
maccard wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but every EU member has a clear agency for consumer complaint, and I don't buy it that it is hard for consumers to report violations, The problem is the response is toothless. I reported Amazon for a violation to ICO in February 2019, received an automated email a month later asking for a swathe of information, replied to that, and 3 months later got an update that it would be assigned a Case Officer. That was the…

> Amazon... The company that looks like a medieval food shop with meat warming in the sun and a big sign that says "caveat emptor" and manned by a slave with very dirty hands. The fact that it still operates in the EU is prove that more tough punishments are needed for corporations that push fraud, dangerous products, abuse of monopolistic position, etc. Amazon in a nutshell.

A government can't ban a company for its reputation - it has to actually do something wrong.

Re: Smartphone makers don't bother to comply with EU repairability requirements

#169

Post by mitxela »

maccard wrote: post #87
epihelix wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Companies don't really care about rules per se. They care about their risk appetite, and whether the consequences of their actions create risk above that appetite level. The simple calculus is: will it cost me more to comply, or more to ignore? If a company chooses the more costly option, they are betraying their shareholders and being managed poorly. If you do not fine early and often, you are almost mandating that…

I will say; > will it cost me more to comply, or more to ignore? Is an (unfortunately) American view of things. The vast majority of European businesses I’ve worked with attempt to comply with the _spirit_ of the laws, while my experience with most American companies is they try to skirt the letter of the law to do whatever the hell they want. I’m not saying one is better, or that all companies in both places are lik…

Also Americans try to comply with the _letter_ of European laws which leads to some absurdities like the recent HN threads of people claiming it's impossible to sell goods to Europe because you have to register your packaging in every European country.

Re: Smartphone makers don't bother to comply with EU repairability requirements

#170

Post by mitxela »

maccard wrote: post #92
gmueckl wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The regulation doesn't mean batteries have to be made swappable with just bare hands. Common tools and some simple, easily undoable gluing is still acceptable. It gets a battery replacement from a process that risks breaking glass parts, overheating components etc.. to something that can be done by a moderately skilled person with a moderately well stocked toolbox in an afternoon.

Isn’t that the case already for most devices? I can pay £80 and have a guy show up in a van and replace the battery in my iPhone in his van in 30 minutes or so.

The guy has trained himself to replace iPhone batteries and carries special tools for each model of iPhone in his van because it's not a simple process. The new law says he should only need a screwdriver set (roughly).
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