As devices morph into services, what is ownership?

APPLE’S PURPOSE has always been to empower the users of its wares. “People are inherently creative. They will use tools in ways the toolmakers never thought possible,” once opined Steve Jobs, the computer maker’s late co-founder. So it was always odd that the firm went to great lengths to stop customers fixing its products. Repair manuals were kept secret; genuine replacement parts were hard to come by; and, most recently, replacing the screen of the latest iPhone disabled the gadget’s facial-recognition feature.No longer. In a series of moves that surprised many, Apple earlier this month promised a software fix to make the new iPhone model more repairable, and on November 17th announced that it will allow individuals to mend their devices and provide manuals, tools and parts. Even its critics applauded, especially the leaders of a growing global “right-to-repair” movement including Kyle Wiens, the boss of iFixit, a website that sells parts and publishes free repair guides.