Samsung requires repairers to destroy customers’ smartphones under certain conditions, causing the breakdown of the partnership with iFixit. The move raises questions about the South Korean giant’s repair practices.
The demand for solutions accessible and affordable repair for smartphones is growing. Users are looking for reliable options to extend the life of their devices, facing often high replacement costs. In this context, partnerships between manufacturers and suppliers of spare parts play a crucial role in ensuring efficient and economical repairs.
Samsung has recently been critical for his repair practices. According to a report, the company is forcing service providers to destroy devices that contain unofficial spare parts and hand over customers’ personal data to the company. This policy led one of its largest partners, iFixit, has end your collaboration with the Korean giant. The repairer cited the high cost of spare parts and difficulties in obtaining components for new models like the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 among the reasons for this breakdown.
Samsung doesn’t like independent smartphone repairers
Samsung responded to iFixit’s announcement by stating that it would continue to offer replacement parts through another supplier, Encompass, on the Samsungparts.com website. However, the site currently does not offer no parts for smartphones and instead focuses on household appliances. The company says it wants to provide flexible and accessible repair options that include at-home repair services and certified parts for self-repair.
This breakdown of partnership reveals the problems encountered by repair companies in the face of manufacturers’ strict policies. THE independent repairers are faced with high costs and to severe restrictions which limit their ability to provide affordable services.
By refusing to use third-party parts, Samsung is imposing additional pressure on them, which could reduce available options for users. And this, even if this seems contrary to the European Union rules recently adopted to strengthen the right to repair which aim to avoid the replacement of devices by authorizing parts not approved by the manufacturers.