this post was submitted on 25 May 2024
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iFixit is breaking up with Samsung. ‘Samsung’s approach to repairability does not align with our mission,’ says iFixit’s CEO. (www.theverge.com)
submitted 5 months ago by ForgottenFlux to c/technology
91 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 
  • iFixit and Samsung are ending their partnership on a direct-to-consumer phone repair program.
  • iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens says "Samsung does not seem interested in enabling repair at scale" and that the deal is not working due to high parts prices and difficulty of repairs.
  • Samsung only ships batteries pre-glued to the phone screen, forcing customers to pay over $160 even for just a battery replacement, unlike with other vendors.
  • The contract also limited iFixit to selling no more than 7 parts per customer in a 3-month period, hampering their ability to support local repair shops.
  • Additionally, Samsung required iFixit to share customer email addresses and purchase history, which iFixit does not do with other partners.
  • iFixit says it will continue to stock aftermarket Samsung parts and publish repair guides, but will no longer work directly with Samsung on official repair manuals.

iFixit says:

We clearly didn’t learn our lesson the first time, and let them convince us they were serious about embracing repair.

We tried to make this work. Gosh, we tried. But with such divergent priorities, we’re no longer able to proceed.

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[–] [email protected] 40 points 5 months ago (7 children)

If you're technically inclined, you buy a Samsung phone only once.

But in my defense, the Galaxy S3 is legendary up to this day. They didn't got better since then.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I had the original Galaxy Note and loved it. Then I went to oneplus one and loved it. Then I went Nexus 6 and liked it enough. Then I got the first Pixel.

I've been pixels ever since. But there was a deal on the Galaxy flip5, $0 up front, $300 over 2 years. I couldn't pass it up, for the novelty if nothing else.

There's a lot I like about this phone, but a lot more that I don't. I'm looking forward to going back to Pixel when I can.

This phone is missing so many standard features, and so many others are locked behind Samsungs walled garden that I refuse to sign up for. It's just a mess. I'm frequently frustrated.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I highly recommend the pixel fold if you want a folding phone but don't want to go with Samsung. It's a better form factor anyway and it closes all the way.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Thanks for the recommendation!

I like the fold concept in theory, though it's a bit exhausting protecting the screen all the time.

Being able to set the phone anywhere at an angle to take a picture has come in handy super frequently.

If this phone was full price though I think I'd be mad. I baby this screen line no tomorrow, and I'm diligent about keeping my pocket free of any dust and lint, let alone dirt or bits.

I've got a tiny scratch in the middle of the fold, and the entire fold area has long tiny cracks forming from folding. I've only had this phone for like 7 or 8 months.

My buddies broke in 30 days of buying it, and he had to fight to get it replaced.

Again, I like the idea, and I enjoy using it. But there's still too many pain spots for me to make the jump. It'll have to get a lot cheaper or a lot more sturdy before I'll get another.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I think s10 might have been peak.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

yes, i got the s10e and wanted the standard s10, but both were unlockable (fuck samsung, snapdragon and american isps), i haven't used or seen a better device around me since

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago

I love the displays they put into cheap phones, but other than that they charge too much a premium for features that now should be standard such as fast and/or wireless charging

[–] Cocodapuf 3 points 5 months ago

This is exactly it. I owned an S3 and used it for many years, it was reliable. Assuming it would be of similar quality, I eventually upgraded to an (at that point) already outdated S5. It did not last as long. I've been using a Google pixel ever since.

[–] return2ozma 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Samsung phones have some of the best features like the S Pen and Dex which turns your phone into a computer if you connect it to a TV/monitor. Samsung's marketing is bad and doesn't really tell you all the features it has.

https://youtu.be/Fg2A8o-IGhQ

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Here is an alternative Piped link(s):

https://piped.video/Fg2A8o-IGhQ

Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.

I'm open-source; check me out at GitHub.

[–] pycorax 3 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

There's not really a lot of options out there. Can't say I agree with Samsung's policies but their devices are pretty good compared to everyone else. iPhones are well, if you'd consider an iPhone then we wouldn't be in this conversation. Chinese brands generally have very problematic software, Pixels are pretty barebones unless you're into the AI stuff (Material 3 is also pretty ugly), Sony is very expensive and fairly barebones too.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

This why the "technically inclined", as long as the device has some community support.

[–] ikidd 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

S4 Mini.

CMM

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

If you kept it long enough... The last update made it unusably slow, was the only phone I ever destroyed and sent for recycling as there was no way I could sell that thing to someone.

Also last Samsung phone I ever bought for that reason. Actually could be the last Samsung anything I nought come to think of it