Microsoft commissions research into repairability of products

Microsoft is having an independent party investigate what environmental and ‘social’ benefits there would be if the company’s devices were easier to repair. The company also promises to “act” on recommendations in this report.

With the investigation, Microsoft is fulfilling a request from one of the company’s investors, As You Sow. This shareholder wants Microsoft to produce a report on what benefits could be gained from making devices easier to repair by both consumers and independent repair shops.

Specific research is being conducted into what advantages or disadvantages Microsoft would experience if manuals, parts or tools were more readily available. The study should also consider the impact of potential legislation requiring tech companies to make their devices easier to repair.

News site Grist reports that Microsoft and As You Sow have reached an agreement to conduct the investigation. Earlier this year, the company was unwilling to conduct the investigation, but after media attention and pressure from other investors, the company turned around, As You Sow told Grist.

The report should be ready early next year. Microsoft will not share the results in full, as they will discuss classified information about products. The company does promise to publish a summary in early May. Based on these results, it also wants to take steps by the end of 2022 to make products more repairable. For example, the company wants to make new parts and documentation available to repair shops outside the company’s network.

Microsoft also says in an email to Grist that it wants to use the results of the report when designing new products. Although Microsoft’s concrete next steps are not yet known, for example, iFixits CEO Kyle Whose It a ‘gigantic, landmark step’.