With every new product release comes a teardown analysis from iFixit that shows what changes a company has made on the inside. Be it Apple, Samsung, or any other company, iFixit's teardowns pay a lot of attention to repairability and how companies should offer more options to the end user. iFixit has partnered with Samsung since 2022 to offer original repair parts for the Galaxy-branded smartphones and tablets. However, it appears the partnership is now coming to an end as iFixit has shared the harsh reason behind cutting ties with the South Korean tech giant.
iFixit and Samsung cut ties due to higher costs of repair parts and product designs that do not go in line with easier repairability
iFixit has always promoted easier repairability and cheaper repair parts for the general public. It appears that both of these aspects became the reason for iFixit and Samsung parting their way. The repair company stated the cost of repair parts from Samsung was too high to do business and that the internal design of the products was not repairable. Previously, iFixit was only allowed to sell "seven Samsung parts per repair shop per quarter." While the dynamics of the partnership are not known, it is very hard to run a profitable business under such limitations.
“We couldn’t get parts to local repair shops at prices and quantities that made business sense. The part prices were so costly that many consumers opted to replace their devices rather than repair them.”
“And 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.”
If we look at the numbers, Samsung's genuine battery for the Galaxy S22 costs $159.99 in the United States. However, you can get the aftermarket battery priced only at $22.99 from iFixit. The cost difference is miles apart, and after the partnership ends, iFixit would have to indicate if a repair part is genuine or aftermarket. What this means is that the repair company would have to let users know if they wish to fix the device with a genuine part or an aftermarket part as part of its transparency with the end user.
Take note that iFixit's ending partnership with Samsung will still allow it to sell and repair parts and devices. However, the company will no longer be developing repair manuals for Samsung products. Galaxy product owners can check SamsungParts for genuine parts and manuals, which includes the company's expanded repair program for the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy Fold 5. We will be keeping you up to date with the story, so be sure to stick around.
