For iFixit, one of the main promoters of the repairability of electronic devices, the observation is bitter. Less than two years after entering into a partnership with Samsung to allow users of the global smartphone manufacturer to resolve faults on their devices themselves, the account is not there.
The Californian platform, which presents itself as “the world’s largest repair community”with 3 million members to whom it offers spare parts, tools and free repair tutorials, has decided to denounce this agreement as of 1er June.
Announced in August 2022, the agreement provided for the development of tutorials in collaboration with Samsung (as it does with other companies) to facilitate the repair of its terminals, and provided access to spare parts and tools approved by the brand . But the terms of the contract quickly posed a problem.
“They forced us to sell batteries and screens as a block, which increases the cost of repair if we only have to change one or the other”, explains for example Sandra Auboy, responsible for development in France at iFixit. Too much glue is used in the design of Samsung devices to complicate the repair of smartphones. The platform also criticizes the Korean group for imposing unfavorable conditions on local repair shops. “They prefer to keep control of repairability”she believes.
“We haven’t seen any progress”
Questioned by the American press, Samsung defended itself. “For those who want to take advantage of our self-repair program, we offer Samsung-certified parts, tools and information for our approved products”replied the conglomerate while adding: “We are proud of the work we have accomplished with iFixit. We cannot comment further on the details of the partnership at this time. »
Two years could they be enough to conclude that the collaboration with the Korean company had failed? “In this space of time, we have already seen partners who have made efforts in repairability, such as Google, Microsoft, Lenovo or Fairphone. Of course we don’t ask a brand to be perfect in this period of time, but we haven’t seen any evolution there.”underlines Mme Auboy.
The approach has little chance of shaking the world number two in smartphones which, in 2023, will have sold 227 million units for 19.4% market share according to the IDC firm. The platform hopes, on the other hand, that new legislation such as that on the right to repair adopted by the European Union on April 23, 2024 will be able to encourage manufacturers to adopt better practices. This directive requires manufacturers to make spare parts and tools available at a reasonable price and orders member states to take measures to promote repairs.
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