iFixit And Samsung Repair Program Abruptly Ends: What This Means For DIY Galaxy Fixes
In 2022, Samsung collaborated with iFixit to perform DIY phone repairs. As part of the partnership, Samsung supplied genuine device parts, repair tools, and guides, providing official support for DIY enthusiasts wanting to repair their Samsung. Unfortunately, those efforts didn't last long: iFixit today announced the high-profile Samsung partnership has come to an end.
"As we tried to build this ecosystem we consistently faced obstacles that made us doubt Samsung's commitment to making repair more accessible. We couldn't get parts to local repair shops at prices and quantities that made business sense," iFixit said in a blog post. The California-based company also blamed the high asking price of genuine replacement Samsung parts, which often led to customers simply opting to buy a new device instead.
iFixit will continue to sell repair kits and replacement parts for Samsung smartphones and tablets without imposing any limits on how many repair units it will keep in stock. The company won't work with Samsung on repair manuals, but will continue with its own in-house crowdsourced effort moving ahead. iFixit will also stock aftermarket or third-party replacement parts for Samsung devices. At the end of its Samsung camaraderie, iFixit accused Samsung of operating in a repair-hostile manner. "The design of Samsung's Galaxy devices remained frustratingly glued together, forcing us to sell batteries and screens in pre-glued bundles that increased the cost," the company said.
What does the future hold for Samsung repair and DIY fixes?
So far, iFixit has offered its own repairability guides that make the chore of handling Samsung repairs a tad easier. In the blog post, iFixit said repair should be the default rather than replacement, and that this point is where the company diverged with Samsung.
Although iFixit didn't mention this in the blog post, Samsung was also recently accused of maintaining a destructively strict attitude for aftermarket or third-party parts, according to a leaked contract obtained by 404 Media. In the agreement, Samsung instructed personnel at certified repair outlets to "disassemble" devices "that are created or assembled out of, comprised of, or that contain any Service Parts not purchased from Samsung." The contract also showed evidence that Samsung forces authorized service outlets to share identifiable information from people bringing their phones in for repairs. Those details include name, email address, phone number, warranty status, device identifier, and complete details on all the repair activities undertaken.
Nevertheless, this likely won't be the end of Samsung's right-to-repair push. The Samsung self repair program launched in 2022 is still operational, and in early 2024, the company expanded its partnership with Encompass Supply Chain Solutions to increase access to repair hardware. All to say, if your Samsung is broken, plenty of repair options still exist — at iFixit or elsewhere.