Microsoft has entered into a partnership with iFixit, the online repair manual site, to boost the reuse market for smartphones, tablets and laptops.
Over the past year the two companies have been developing and testing a free online training programme - the Pro tech Network - to help start-ups and small enterprises who wish to offer repair services for these products get off the ground.
The work is being sponsored by Microsoft's Registered Refurbisher Programme, which already works with PC refurbishers to extend the life of Windows PCs. The online toolkit offers a range of support for businesses - these include in-depth repair manuals, repair skills training, marketing best practices and design templates, as well as parts sourcing and testing pointers.
The network is also intended to act as a collaborative platform, enabling repair technologists to share their knowledge and learn from each other. Both companies hope the initiative will spur on the repair industry as a whole.
According to Microsoft, mobile devices are often used intermittently by consumers. This, combined with their very low power consumption means they use relatively minimal electrical power over their lifetime. However, the process to manufacture these devices takes a significantly larger amount of power consumption.
