I understand that Apple can't provide upgrades for free, but why can't I buy an upgrade for $30 or whatever? Better than throwing away perfectly good devices.

And they won't let anyone install any other software onto the hardware, so I can't even rely on the free market providing what I want.

> why can't I buy an upgrade for $30 or whatever?

Because otherwise you won't buy new device for full price

Well yes, of course. That shouldn't be the determinant, though.

There probably also won't be enough people to pay $30 per year to justify the salary of the people to maintain it. Microsoft tried that with Windows 10 and largely gave up outside of Corporations which they had by the gonads.

IMO this is one of the biggest gaps in the new EU repair rules (from what I have seen of it). It should mandate unlockable bootloaders, etc. or at the very least an unlockable bootloader once the regular support period is over.

Imagine the cool things people could do with old iPads. Put Android or Ubuntu Touch and give it to people who cannot afford a tablet. Wall display for Home Assistant. Rip out the batteries and have a very low energy ARM server, etc.

> an unlockable bootloader once the regular support period is over

If we're talking about a 15-year old device, it definitely feels like requiring (1) a boot loader unlock method & (2) all technical specs required for basic functioning (display, input, compute) aren't overly burdensome on Apple et al.

Essentially mandating a corporate 'methods and specifications' EOL requirement to avoid device obsolescence.

This would also have a side effect of giving the EU a regulatory trade barrier against sketchy fly-by-night Chinese tech (e.g. "DMOAO tablet").

And encouraging tier I tech device manufacturers to offer longer warranties, in their own self-profit-interest.