Samsung’s New Self-Repair Program Is Better Than Apple’s

Many companies are starting to endorse self-repair programs as an alternative to professional repairs or upgrading. Partnering with iFixit, Samsung has officially launched its own self-repair program for Galaxy phones and tablets.

Samsung announced back in March that it was working with iFixit to provide official replacement parts for Galaxy phones and tablets, in addition to updating repair guides and other documentation. Starting today, you can now buy genuine Samsung parts for the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S21 series, as well as the Galaxy Tab S7+. Repair guides have also been updated and expanded for those devices.

There are many devices missing from that short list — Samsung sells two other Tab S7 models, the Galaxy S22 series, and many Galaxy A budget phones. Replacement parts are also only available in the United States for now, and some components (like camera modules) aren’t available. iFixit says it is “working towards more devices and additional comprehensive parts.”

The new program is similar to iFixit’s partnership with Google, which officially started in June and offers similar replacement parts and official repair guides for Google Pixel phones. Part availability is better with Google’s devices, though — you can buy (at least some) replacement components for all of Google’s phones since the 2017 Pixel 2.

Even in its current limited form, Samsung’s repair program is far simpler and more accessible than Apple’s self-repair program that started in May. Apple requires people to rent tools and equipment for iPhone repairs, and completing a screen or battery swap involves calling a remote technician for the iPhone to recognize it as a genuine part. Samsung and Google don’t have the same digital lockout mechanisms on their devices.

Source: iFixit, Samsung