5 on Your Side: Cell phone companies to make repairs easier

A busted cell phone can be hard to fix and in the end, you may be left with no other choice but to pay hundreds for a new one.

However, a new push to improve so-called "right to fix" laws have some cell phone makers promising changes.

We’ve all been there, dealing with a cracked phone screen. It turns out, that most people with a broken phone don’t even try repairing it.

Replacement parts can be hard to find and instructions for fixing phones are scarce.

Plus, newer phones are made with glued-in batteries and special screws that can’t easily be removed.

You may think you’ll void the warranty if you repair the phone yourself or at an independent shop, but that’s not true, you can.

And now some states and Congress are taking notice of other unfriendly consumer practices.

“Lawmakers in a number of states and Congress are considering bills that would make it easier to repair your own things, including your smartphone,” said Kaveh Waddell with Consumer Reports.

And for the first time, Apple says it will make some parts and repair manuals available to consumers and repair shops. Microsoft has also reportedly said it would work to make some of its devices easier to fix.

Both—a win for the environment and for consumers.