120 lines
4.7 KiB
HTML
120 lines
4.7 KiB
HTML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
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<html newsdate="2021-01-27">
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<version>1</version>
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<head>
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<title>EU should enable reusability of software to extend usage lifetimes of devices</title>
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</head>
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<body>
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<h1>EU should enable reusability of software to extend usage lifetimes of devices</h1>
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<p>
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We gave feedback to the EU consultation about "Energy labelling of
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mobile phones and tablets". Access to hardware, permission to
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replace the operating system of the device, and publication of the
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code are key to make phones last longer.
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</p>
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<p>
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In December 2020, the <a
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href="https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12798-Energy-labelling-of-mobile-phones-and-tablets-informing-consumers-about-environmental-impact/F1465695_en">EU
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consultation about "Energy labelling of mobile phones and
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tablets"</a> opened for feedback, and on 27 January 2021 the
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FSFE submitted its contribution. The consultation is part of a
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current revisal on the European Ecodesign regulation, aiming to
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ensure that:
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</p>
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<ul>
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<li>mobile phones and tablets are designed to be energy efficient and durable</li>
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<li>consumers can easily repair, upgrade and maintain these devices</li>
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<li>circular economy models are provided with possible reuse and recycling of devices.</li>
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</ul>
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<p>
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The FSFE <a
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href="https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12798-Energy-labelling-of-mobile-phones-and-tablets-informing-consumers-about-environmental-impact/F1465695_en">responded</a>
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to the initiative.
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</p>
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<figure>
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<img
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src="https://pics.fsfe.org/uploads/medium/7e0f749c5b2fc9a83ddae98cda6be9f4.png"
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alt="holding a smartphone" />
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<figcaption>The FSFE asks re-usability of software on smart devices to help extending usage lifetimes.</figcaption>
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</figure>
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<p>
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90% or more of the overall resource and energy consumption in the
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lifetime of nowadays smartphones and tablets incur by their
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production and global transport but less than 10% by their actual
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usage time. Thus, extending usage lifetime of produced mobile
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phones and tablets (hereafter together addressed as “phones”) is
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key to lower their environmental impact.
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</p>
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<p>
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When the manufacturing company stops supporting the software of
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past devices, the user is not in a position to use the device
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without security risks. However, the hardware is in good
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condition. This is planned obsolescence, a practice that affects
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software. The problem is artificially created by manufacturers to
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raise sales of new phones instead of letting consumers keep using
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the old ones.
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</p>
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<p>
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One solution to the problem would be to enforce a guaranteed
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minimal support-time of security updates by manufacturers. But
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even more helpful in the long run would be the obligation to
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<strong>publish the code</strong> under a Free Software license
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if no more security support is or can be provided.
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</p>
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<p>
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It should be reminded that manufacturers prevent the users from
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fixing the device too. Preventions include technical measures,
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for example locking the bootloader, and legal measures, for
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example threatening to void your warranty by flashing a Custom
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Rom on your device.
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</p>
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<figure>
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<img
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src="https://pics.fsfe.org/uploads/big/225445794ddf71f36e4c6441261cf64a.png"
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alt="smartphone teardown" />
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<figcaption>Repairing our devices
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instead of buying new ones is an environmentally friendly
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behaviour.</figcaption>
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</figure>
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<p>
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The Commission must ensure any customer’s full right to their own
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hardware including <strong>access to the bootloader</strong> and
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the <strong>ability to replace the operating system</strong> at
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will. Without planned obsolescence, smartphones can last longer
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and the devices can be repurposed. Respecting the users'
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right to repair is a sustainable solution. Repairing our devices
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instead of buying new ones is an environmentally friendly
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behaviour.
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</p>
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<p>
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Finally, these decisions can have significant financial benefits
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for small businesses and for the European tech industry. Offering
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consumer’s the right to their own hardware and extend its usage
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lifetimes via third-party service providers will help to open up
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a sector currently heavily dominated by monopolies outside
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Europe.
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</p>
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</body>
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<tags>
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<tag key="front-page"/>
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<tag key="upcyclingandroid">Upcycling Android</tag>
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<tag key="sustainability">Sustainability</tag>
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</tags>
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<image url="https://pics.fsfe.org/uploads/medium/7e0f749c5b2fc9a83ddae98cda6be9f4.png"/>
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</html>
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