At the end of April, Apple made a home repair program available for its smartphones in the US. If necessary, users can thus obtain original spare parts and repair a damaged component or components directly from the comfort of their home. South Korean Samsung is now taking a similar step.
Samsung has concluded for this purpose strategic cooperation with iFixit. From yesterday, users can buy spare parts for their devices from it. However, the offer apparently only applies to the United States and the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S21 and Galaxy Tab S7+ devices. The giant informs about the news through your website.
It should also be noted that users can acquire and replace only some componentsnamely the display, battery, back cover and charging port.
It can be said that the program is still in a very early stage. However, there is no doubt that its scope will expand over time, not only with new devices, but also with parts and, above all, markets.
The manuals are free, the parts are not
As for joining forces with iFixit, it’s a smart move on Samsung’s part. The iFixit website also offers detailed, but easy to understand instructions, which interested parties can download completely free of charge. There is also an extensive forum where they can search for answers to perhaps all possible repair questions.
However, the necessary parts are definitely not free. For example the battery and display package for the Galaxy S21 will set you back $167.99, excluding tax. For the Galaxy S21 Ultra, the price climbs to $239.99 without VAT.
“Samsung is constantly offering consumers more convenient options to extend the use of their devices, support the circular economy and minimize the amount of e-waste. Service Samsung Self-Repair is another way for customers to extend the life of their devices before recycling them,” says Mark Williams, vice president of customer care at Samsung Electronics America.
Kyle Wiens, co-founder and CEO of iFixit, also commented on the program: “Making spare parts available is a key sustainability strategy. We are excited to work directly with Samsung and its customers to extend the life of their phones.”
