Samsung has launched its self-repair partnership with teardown specialists iFixit in the United States, but Brits will have to wait for the service to land on UK soil.
Announced at the end of March, the partnership is designed to meet potential ‘right to repair’ legislation head on, by offering access to official replacement parts and official guides.
Right now, Galaxy device owners can purchase genuine charging ports, displays, batteries, and replacement rear glass for a number of the most popular and recent releases.
All three devices in the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S20 ranges are eligible, while parts, tools and step-by-step guides are also available for various Galaxy Tab 7 Plus tablets. The newest Samsung Galaxy S22 is absent for now though.
The kits aren’t particularly cheap, even though you’re doing most of the work yourself. The replacement screen and battery for the Galaxy S21 Ultra, for example, costs $239.99 (around £197), while the USB-C charging board assembly costs $66.99 (about $54).
“Samsung is one of the biggest smartphone manufacturers in the world, and iFixit is the world’s biggest online repair resource,” writes iFixit’s Gwendalyn Garcia in a blog post. “Together, we can make repair an integral part of manufacturing and owning consumer electronics. We’re proud to have collaborated with Samsung to build a self-repair program to make their phones last longer, help consumers save money, and benefit the environment by reducing e-waste.”
iFixit does say the program will expand to other nations in time, but there’s no hint as to when. Trusted Reviews has contacted Samsung about whether Brits can expect a launch in the near future.
Just over a month ago, Google and iFixit teamed up for a similar initiative for Pixel phones. That was available to Brits out of the gate, so the issue is definitely on Samsung’s end. Regardless, before going ahead, you should check your warranty with Samsung to see if you’re entitled to a repair for free or on the cheap.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
