iFixit ends repair partnership with Samsung

Key Points:

• iFixit ends its repair partnership with Samsung after failed contract renegotiations.
• High costs and limited parts availability hindered the initiative’s success.
• Samsung’s restrictive practices question its commitment to widespread device repairability.

Samsung’s reputation takes another hit as iFixit, renowned for its device repair guides and resources, ends its self-repair partnership with the tech giant. This development follows recent revelations about Samsung’s stringent contracts with third-party repair shops, which mandate the sharing of customer data for access to repair parts.

iFixit, which had been an official source for genuine Samsung repair parts, announced the termination of their collaboration, citing insurmountable challenges and Samsung’s apparent lack of commitment to scalable repair solutions. The partnership, established two years ago, provided DIY enthusiasts and independent repair shops with parts for Samsung’s Galaxy S20, S21, and Tab S7+ series, later expanding to other devices including some Galaxy Books.

Kyle Wiens, iFixit’s CEO, expressed disappointment in a statement to The Verge, revealing that Samsung’s reluctance to support widespread repair was a significant barrier. The company’s blog further detailed the difficulties, highlighting Samsung’s high part costs and restrictive supply practices, such as bundling replacement batteries with screens, making repairs unnecessarily expensive.

Despite the partnership’s end, iFixit plans to continue offering repair kits and parts for Samsung devices, though it will no longer be an official distributor post-June 2024. The agreement’s constraints, like limiting parts supply to repair shops, and excluding iFixit from handling parts for newer models like the Galaxy S23 and S24 series, exacerbated the challenges.

This isn’t the first clash between the two. In 2019, Samsung compelled iFixit to remove a Galaxy Fold teardown, hinting at ongoing tensions. For more on the termination of this partnership, visit iFixit’s detailed blog post.