iFixit has chosen to end its two-year collaboration with Samsung, a move the repair community will watch closely. The partnership, which aimed to simplify smartphone repairs by providing access to official parts and repair guidance, will not be renewed as stated on iFixit’s site.
The company’s CEO and co-founder, Kyle Vince, explained that the contract concluded without renewal because he believes Samsung did not share a sustained commitment to empowering users to fix their devices. The decision reflects broader questions about how manufacturers support repairability and maintain longer device lifespans.
Vince described sustained obstacles in building a robust repair ecosystem with Samsung. He noted difficulties delivering parts to local stores at prices and quantities that made business sense for independent repair shops and consumers. When part costs were high, many users opted to replace devices rather than repair them, undermining the goal of a durable, repairable product line. The tension between affordability of parts and the economics of repair was a central factor in the decision.
Even with the end of the official collaboration, iFixit will continue to service Samsung devices in much the same way it services Apple devices. The company will keep offering spare parts and repair instructions for Samsung hardware in its catalog, but will no longer receive official Samsung documentation. This means techs and enthusiasts can still access guidance, yet the formal, manufacturer-provided repair data will not be supplied going forward.
Vince also mentioned that Samsung may have bundled batteries with displays in some cases. Such a packaging choice could drive up costs for customers who only needed a simple battery replacement, complicating what should be a straightforward repair task. Under the original contract, iFixit was restricted to selling no more than seven parts per quarter to a single customer, a rule that limited repair options in busy shops and among power users. Those quotas will be lifted as of June 17, aligning with the contract’s termination and potentially expanding the aftermarket repair landscape for Samsung devices.
In related coverage, a Russian tech blogger, Romantsev, recently commented on the AI-driven future of smartphone design, hinting at ongoing debates about how emerging AI features and smart components will affect repairability and consumer choice. This broader context underscores the evolving relationship between device manufacturers, independent repair providers, and end users who seek affordable, reliable ways to extend the life of their devices.