Parts pairing and the Apple iPhone 16: how Apple’s next phone will be designed by Oregon’s Senate

There’s no doubt that the iPhone 16 will dominate the headlines when it’s released later in the year, but legislators in Oregon’s Senate have passed a parts pairing law that may force Apple to perform a radical rethink about how the phone works.

Cosmetically, the iPhone 16 will no doubt stick to the same form factor as the iPhone 15, but a court ruling means that Apple may need to make radical changes to software that currently blocks independent repairs.

At the end of March, Oregon’s governor, Tina Kotek, signed Senate Bill 1596 (SB1596) into law. It’s Oregon’s Right to Repair reform. Oregon is the fourth US state to pass a version of Right to Repair law, but it’s also the strongest.

With one stroke of the pen, Kotek has advanced our ability to fix and repair our electronic devices by outlawing a restrictive practice called ‘parts pairing’. As iPhones use parts pairing technologies, Apple must radically modify the iPhone 16’s design to comply with SB1596.

And while my headline focuses on the iPhone, it has huge ramifications for any business that buys technology. With the passing of this law, your investments should last longer.

What does parts pairing mean?

Within SB1596, parts pairing is defined as “a manufacturer’s practice of using software to identify component parts through a unique identifier”. Apple uses it to ensure certain components inside the iPhone are software-locked to the handset.

This becomes a problem if, for example, you need to repair the smashed screen on your iPhone 13. Parts pairing makes the repair more complicated and expensive as once the physical repair is complete (that is, broken screen off, new screen on), the iPhone will require a software update to ‘authorise’ the new part before full functionality is returned. Officially, only Apple or Apple Authorised Service providers have the ability to do this.

It’s like adding extra ketchup to a Big Mac but being forbidden to eat it until it’s been authorised by Ronald McDonald.

Arguably the most famous example of parts pairing in action is a 2021 video by YouTuber Hugh Jeffreys. Over 11 million people have viewed his fantastic demonstration with a couple of iPhone 12 devices.

Jump to the bottom of this article if you wish to see Apple’s latest response to this…

When does the parts pairing ban take effect?

The restriction on parts pairing begins on any devices manufactured after 1 January 2025, so Apple has less than 12 months to make changes. And even though the phone will launch later this year, it will continue to be manufactured next year, so it must comply with the new laws.

Not that Apple is alone. Parts pairing is used in many technological sectors to control what parts can be used inside a machine. Manufacturers claim that the practice improves the security and reliability of products, but advocates of repair legislation, myself included, counter that it’s mainly used to squash attempts at repair. This forces people to buy new products, which is great news for the manufacturers and not-so-great news for the environment.

Additionally, Oregon’s new rules prevent manufacturers from blocking independent repairers from installing non-OEM parts. That is, parts made by the original equipment manufacturer.

It also stops manufacturers from restricting the performance of devices fitted with ‘unauthorised’ components. This extends to error messages, too, so no more nag screens that you’ve restocked the printer with ink that didn’t cost the price of a small family hatchback.

Is Apple concerned about SB1596?

Oh yes. After years of lobbying against the Right to Repair legislation, Apple surprised everyone by supporting California’s version, SB244.  Critically, a ban on parts pairing was dropped from the final wording of SB244, but Oregon held its nerve. 

Apple went as far as to roll out John Perry, its Platform Architecture Secure Systems Design Manager, who said: “Apple agrees with the vast majority of Senate Bill 1596 – but is worried about the security implications of allowing the use of unauthorised parts, such as biometric sensors, for replacement”.

Related: California’s SB244 Right to Repair Law can’t breathe new life into Windows 10, but Copilot just might

Will Apple comply with Oregon’s parts pairing ban?

Yes. The requirement is Oregon law and it has set a precedent which other Right to Repair legislature will adopt. In 2023, 33 US states considered various forms of repair legislation, so what has been successfully pioneered in Oregon becomes the baseline elsewhere.

Away from America, there are pockets of repair-friendly legislation working through India, Australia and Canada. Apple has shown that it will comply as Europe’s requirement for USB-C charging sockets forced it to modify the iPhone 15.

Why should Apple change the design of the iPhone 16?

Naturally, there’s an argument which says that Apple and other manufacturers should be able to design their products without restriction, but the reason that legislators create these laws is to combat the growing E-waste crisis.

Although many tech companies are switching towards more sustainable ways of working, too many cling to a ‘business as usual’ mentality. They’re happy to be green, providing we continue to buy and that’s a problem. Globally, we produce too much stuff and with technology particularly, we’re unable to dispose of old products without polluting the environment.

The latest UNITAR Global E-waste report cites improving our ability to repair and keep devices in use for longer as one of the best weapons we have against chronic over-production and global pollution. The longer we keep tech in use, the better it is for all the people who live on the planet.

So if you think of it in those terms, being able to change the battery in an iPhone without Apple’s permission doesn’t seem like such a large concession after all.

How is Apple responding to right-to-repair legislation?

By coincidence – or is it? – Apple has just announced that it has expanded repair options with support for used genuine parts.

The crucial paragraph sits in the middle. ‘The process of confirming whether or not a repair part is genuine and gathering information about the part — often referred to as “pairing” — is critical to preserving the privacy, security, and safety of iPhone,’ it stated.

‘[Beginning] this fall, calibration for genuine Apple parts, new or used, will happen on device after the part is installed. In addition, future iPhone releases will have support for used biometric sensors.

‘And in order to simplify the repair process, customers and service providers will no longer need to provide a device’s serial number when ordering parts from the Self Service Repair Store for repairs not involving replacement of the logic board.’

Apple’s statement gives little detail. For example, it only references genuine Apple parts and not third-party components such as batteries. This is understandable as its declaration wasn’t prompted by an altruistic desire to suddenly embrace repair, but a constriction of the legal framework in which all manufacturers must now operate.

It’s probably true that Apple itself has yet to fully establish exactly how it’s going to apply the Oregon ruling, but with Colorado currently debating the same parts pairing restrictions, it’s clear that Apple needs to tear up years of established anti-repair practice, and with urgency, Think Different!