Global smartphone maker Samsung will now enable customers with Galaxy devices to repair the items themselves, using tools and parts from the company.
“Samsung consumers will get access to genuine device parts, repair tools and intuitive, visual, step-by-step repair guides,” a press release said.
Samsung is collaborating with repair company iFixit on the program, which already has several guides for Samsung repair online. The company said it will share more information as self-repair becomes available this summer.
“We are excited to be consulting with Samsung to help them develop a solution for DIY parts and repair information,” Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit said in the press release. “Every time you fix a device, you’re helping the planet.”
Samsung is the world’s most popular smartphone manufacturer and makes an estimated 20% of all smartphones in the world, above Apple’s market share of about 17%, according to research from Strategy Analytics.
Some electronics companies, including Microsoft, Apple and Google, have faced shareholder and public pressure on right to repair and agreed to make self-repair easier. In past years, Samsung and iFixit had partnered on a Galaxy Upcycling project, but iFixit said the Samsung watered down the initiative to something “nearly unrecognizable.”
To start, their latest collaboration will cover Samsung’s most popular models, the Galaxy S20 and S21 family of products and the Galaxy Tab S7+. The company will expand the service to other models later on, it said.
Galaxy device owners will be able to replace display assemblies, back glass and charging ports. Then, they’ll be able to return the used or broken parts to Samsung for responsible recycling.
“At Samsung, we’re creating more ways for consumers to extend the lifespan of our products with premium care experiences,” Ramon Gregory, senior vice president of customer care, said in the press release. “Availability of self-repair will provide our consumers the convenience and more options for sustainable solutions.”
