Colorado and Oregon Lead the Charge Against Apple's Parts Pairing Practice

Parts Pairing Banned in Colorado and Oregon, Pressuring Apple to Soften Stance

• Parts Pairing Ban: Colorado has joined Oregon in banning the practice of parts pairing as part of their Right to Repair legislation. This ban will take effect for smartphones starting January 2025.
• What is Parts Pairing?: Parts pairing involves digitally linking a component’s serial number (e.g., screen) to the iPhone's serial number. Swapping components can result in issues like Face ID failure, making repairs uneconomical if not using Apple-blessed parts.
• Impact of Ban: This legislation will give consumers broader repair rights, reduce technology waste, and support small businesses by eliminating software locks that restrict repairs.
• Apple's Response: While Apple has started offering a method to 'bless' used parts for repairs, the bans in Oregon and Colorado may force the company to completely abandon parts pairing. Other states are likely to follow suit.
• Background: Apple previously lobbied against right-to-repair laws but reversed its stance in 2021 with the launch of a Self Service Repair program and began supporting such legislation.