The repair kits from Samsung and Apple in a self-experiment: one performs particularly poorly

Repairing smartphones at home is not worth it. This is the result of a self-experiment with home repair kits from Apple and Samsung that the German Stiftung Warentest conducted.

It is said that repairing smartphones yourself has the advantage that you do not have to leave your mobile phone in the hands of someone else. Private repairs are expensive and take time and nerves.

A display repair of the iPhone 12 costs about 340 euros in Germany from Apple (299 francs in Switzerland). Home repairs are a lot more expensive at 400 euros. Samsung charges 254 euros to replace the display of the Galaxy S20 5G. “The self-repair kit costs about 237 euros,” writes Stiftung Warentest. Savings: 17 euros.

Repair takes six hours for both devices

Replacing the display took several hours for both devices. “The time required for the entire repair is highly dependent on the device in question,” it says. But he also depends on his “own technical knowledge, technical skills and previous repair experience”.

Another disadvantage of carrying out repairs yourself: the warranty and guarantee claims are lost – unlike a professional repair by the manufacturer or an authorized service partner.

The clear conclusion from Stiftung Warentest: “The whole thing is only suitable for people who like to tinker.”

It’s also easier

For comparison: when Fairphone The display and a total of ten components such as the camera, USB-C port, battery, etc. can be replaced even by laymen in a short time, because the device is designed from the ground up to be repair-friendly. A replacement display for the Fairphone 4 costs 80 euros, for the new Fairphone 5 it is 100 euros. The repair requires no more than a standard screwdriver. The battery can also be replaced without tools.

Apple sends huge suitcases of tools

For a few months now, manufacturers Apple and Samsung have also been offering their self-repair programs in a number of European countries. The two companies want to make it easier for their customers to repair the devices themselves.

While Samsung’s repair kit fits in a small package and does not need to be returned, Apple sends two large suitcases with professional tools. This set must be returned to the manufacturer and a deposit of almost 1,200 euros is due.

Apple also prevents the reuse of original, working parts from defective, software-locked iPhones, limiting do-it-yourself repairs and the work of independent repair shops. These software barriers are intended to prevent consumers from installing a display or a still good original battery from a defective iPhone into another iPhone. Apple is trying to protect its lucrative repair and spare parts business, iFixit’s repair professionals criticize. Apple responded that this was for the well-being and safety of customers.

Critics accuse Apple of raising the barriers to self-healing so high that the effort is not worth it for individuals.

The EU wants to regulate the right to repair

Until now, customers only had the option to have their defective devices repaired by the manufacturer itself or its partner. There were also self-repair kits from third-party vendors such as iFixit.

With their repair kits, the manufacturers want to counter EU regulations that give consumers the right to repair.

The EU believes that technology should be more durable and easier to repair than before. This saves resources and reduces waste.

Google has decided to guarantee the availability of spare parts for the new Pixel 8 smartphones for seven years. Unlike Apple, Google also doesn’t use software blocks to make DIY repairs more difficult.