What is “repairability”?
I believe repairability applies not only to the ease with which something can be repaired, but also to the accessibility and cost of repairs. If something can only be repaired by the company or specific authorized service providers, and you do not have easy access to either, then that thing is not repairable. If the repair is unreasonably costly, that thing is also not repairable. If the repair takes a long time as a result of any factor, that is not repairable.
Something that is ideally repairable can be repaired locally, with as little “downtime” (the amount of time something is not in use because it is being repaired) as possible, and at the lowest cost possible.
Why is the Right to Repair important?
In short, the Right to Repair is important because the computers, cars, tools, and many other things that may need repair are important to us. Our devices foster connections between people, facilitate work, and enable recreation. Our cars allow us to travel independently and to new places. The tools we use can help us do jobs, both for employment and personal projects. Their useful longevity is dependent on their repairability, and despite the “throwaway” mindset we are accustomed to, it is often better to fix things rather than replace them.
The Right to Repair may seem like it benefits only “tinkering-minded” people who are interested in fixing something for themselves. That is not the case; the right to repair benefits anyone who needs a repair (which is just about everyone, at some point in time!), as well as those who want to complete the repair themselves, and third-party businesses who complete repairs.
Having the Right to Repair can mean the difference between a quick, cost effective repair done locally by a third-party and a repair only doable by the company that made the device, which can be more expensive, take longer, and be less convenient. It can also open the door to repair at ALL; sometimes repairs are not possible from the company that made it. For example, Apple does not repair iPads. Full stop. They only offer trade-in options to replace them, then recycle the broken device you traded in. However, with parts currently available through third-party vendors I was able to repair the broken charging port on my iPad Pro, saving myself more than $600. There is great end-user benefit to not needing to fully replace an item when it breaks–it’s cheaper, and there is often no need to transition (copy files, etc.) between devices. There is also benefit to the world in using devices for longer when possible; more devices in use for longer means fewer devices thrown away.
In a softer sense, in the same way that tinkering with something makes a device more your own, the ability to repair a device and make it last longer is an agency that gives you greater ownership of your device. Your phone, computer, car, or any other device you own do not belong to the company that made it. They belong to you, and it is your right to repair them.