It turns out that the Samsung repair program it’s not so happy as we initially thought. Over the past few days, we’ve uncovered some hard truths about Android’s best-selling smartphone maker. The company has quietly parted ways with iFixit in phone repair kits. It has also required independent repair shops to disclose identifying information about customers they come in for device repairs.
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It started this week when The edge reported that iFixit and Samsung had parted ways. “Samsung doesn’t seem interested in enabling repair at scale,” Kyle Wiens, CEO and co-founder of iFixit, told The Verge’s Sean Hollister. Wiens said Samsung repeatedly overcharged customers for repairs by bundling components instead of selling them. little by little.
For example, battery packs would arrive from the parts manufacturer glued to a phone’s screen, requiring the entire module to be updated. The practice increased the total cost of repairing a device. People were handing out cash for components of their own that they hadn’t even requested.
iFixit published his side For the record, he details the breakdown of his relationship with Samsung. The South Korean smartphone giant limited the number of its own parts that could be purchased, which became a supply problem as iFixit tried to shore up parts for faster repairs.
Then it gets worse. Following The Verge’s report and iFixit’s statement, 404 Media released a damning report that will make you bitter if you currently use a Samsung device.
A leaked copy of a contract between a third-party repair shop and Samsung reveals that the company requires shops to rat out their customers in exchange for any access to genuine parts. The agreement also stipulates the immediate disassembly of a device brought in for repair if any third-party components were discovered under the hood.
“The Company shall immediately dismantle all products that are created or assembled from, consist of, or contain service parts that have not been purchased from Samsung,” a section of the agreement reads. “And you will immediately notify Samsung in writing of the details and circumstances of any unauthorized use or misappropriation of any Part of the Service for any purpose other than as provided for in this Agreement. Samsung may terminate this Agreement if you violate these terms.
These same stores were also required to collect the name, contact information, IMEI and complaint details of each customer and send them to the headquarters.
A bad look for Samsung
It should be no surprise that Samsung sabotaged the trust and goodwill of its customers. Samsung is the same company that repeatedly deceived reference numbers on the previous phone and television releases make consumers think their devices were more capable and sales numbers to eclipse the ranks of Apple. And remember last year’s fiasco, when exaggerated capabilities of the Space Zoom of the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Those previous offenses are precisely the reason why this week’s news hits hard. It makes it harder to suggest Samsung as a company you can trust. . Samsung requires workshops to inform unknown customers who arrive for repair while entrepreneur a narrative that is engaged to your right to play with a device of your own.
It’s also rude that small, independently owned companies are tasked with doing the dirty work of surveillance capitalism in exchange for providing access to genuine information. Samsung parts.
We are still waiting to hear an official statement from Samsung. We have reached out for comment.
The last 48 hours make it difficult for a veteran phone reviewer like me to suggest you buy a device with such anti-consumer practices. At this point in the buying cycle, you’re better off buying a Google Pixel device because repair parts They are cheaper, according to iFixit.
Meanwhile, if you need to repair a Samsung smartphone, iFixit will still help you if you want to repair it at home. However, consider a backup plan if you purchase third-party repair kits through them or another retailer. That contract is likely to remain binding. for other in-person repair shops.
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