Samsung and Best Buy End Partnerships: iFixit Concerns Over Affordability, Best Buy Quietly Stops Samsung Repairs

United States of America
Best Buy quietly ended its repair program for Samsung Galaxy devices.
Best Buy will still repair Samsung devices under its Geek Squad insurance program.
iFixit ended its partnership with Samsung due to concerns over affordability and commitment to repairability.
Samsung's Galaxy devices have designs that make repairs costly for consumers.
Samsung and Best Buy End Partnerships: iFixit Concerns Over Affordability, Best Buy Quietly Stops Samsung Repairs

In recent weeks, there have been several developments regarding the repair practices of Samsung and Best Buy. iFixit, a popular repair hub, ended its partnership with Samsung due to concerns over affordability and commitment to repairability.

Samsung's Galaxy devices have designs that make repairs costly for consumers. iFixit faced obstacles in getting affordable parts from Samsung, leading them to end the partnership as of June 2024. The company will no longer be Samsung's designated third-party parts and tools distributor.

Meanwhile, Best Buy has quietly ended its repair program for Samsung Galaxy devices. Geek Squad techs were previously certified to fix Samsung devices using official Samsung parts, tools, and training. However, the partnership between Best Buy and Samsung is reportedly ending.

Best Buy's website no longer lists Samsung repairs as an option. The company did not deny the end of the partnership when contacted by The Verge. Instead, it stated that it is currently working with Samsung to determine how best to support customers moving forward.

Despite these developments, Best Buy will still repair Samsung devices under its Geek Squad insurance program. Samsung continues to partner with uBreakiFix locations for official repair services.

Samsung's commitment to repairability has been a topic of concern for some time. The company initially received praise for offering seven years of software updates and support with the Galaxy S24 series. However, expensive repairs make these extended update policies less valuable to consumers.

Reports suggest that some of Samsung's repair contracts contain terms regarding third-party components that are similar to Apple's restrictive practices. This further raises concerns about the affordability and accessibility of Samsung repairs.

More on this topic:

iFixit ends Samsung partnership over 'commitment'

samsung confirms 'Galaxy Watch FE' name in website slip-up as launch approaches


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Confidence

90%

Doubts
  • Are there any non-disclosed reasons for the end of the partnerships?

Sources

98%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Best Buy abruptly ends repair services for Samsung Galaxy devices

9to5Google Ben Schoon Thursday, 06 June 2024 18:28
  • Unique Points
    • Best Buy has ended its repair program for Samsung Galaxy devices.
    • , Best Buy is expanding a partnership with Samsung for vendor-provided expert labor in appliances departments across hundreds of stores.
    • iFixit ended partnership with Samsung in May 2024.
  • Accuracy
    • Best Buy is shutting down its Samsung authorized service provider program (ASP)
    • Best Buy has removed mention of Samsung repairs from its website
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Best Buy is shutting down its Samsung repair program

The Verge Wes Davis Thursday, 06 June 2024 17:16
  • Unique Points
    • Best Buy is shutting down its Samsung authorized service provider program (ASP)
    • Certain Best Buy stores were part of the program and could repair Samsung phones with official Samsung parts, tools, and training
    • Geek Squad employees have been instructed to prepare to return their parts for the Samsung ASP program
    • Best Buy stores seem to have disappeared from Samsung’s authorized service center locator
  • Accuracy
    • Best Buy has ended its repair program for Samsung Galaxy devices.
    • Samsung is in discussions with Best Buy to determine how to support customers moving forward.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

80%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Expensive repairs make seven years of software updates worthless, Samsung

Android Authority Saturday, 01 June 2024 12:00
  • Unique Points
    • Samsung initially received praise for offering Galaxy S24 series with industry-leading seven years of updates and software support.
    • Samsung partnered with iFixit to make repairs more affordable and accessible, but later broke off the partnership due to high component costs.
    • Reports suggest that some of Samsung’s repair contracts contain dubious terms regarding third-party components, similar to Apple’s restrictive practices.
  • Accuracy
    • Despite the positive aspects of Samsung’s update policies, smartphone hardware is unlikely to last as long as the software support due to factors like screen breaks and battery degradation.
    • Expensive repair costs and restrictive repair policies may discourage users from opting for repairs, leading them to buy new phones instead.
  • Deception (30%)
    The article contains editorializing and sensationalism. The author expresses their opinion that Samsung's repair policies are a 'joke' and a 'mockery' and that the companies are deliberately obstructive. They also make assumptions about the intentions of the companies without providing evidence.
    • It's bad us, users, and equally makes a mockery of eco-credential claims.
    • Apple, Samsung, and the industry's other big players have yet to get a handle on building smartphones that last and bridging profitability with the right-to-repair. This latest Samsung debacle suggests we're still a long way before anyone finally grapples with perhaps the industry's biggest eco-problem and impact.
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (80%)
    The author expresses a negative opinion towards Samsung's repair policies and implies that they are similar to Apple's, which is known for its anti-consumer approach. The author also uses language that depicts the companies as raising barriers for consumers and making it more economical to buy new phones instead of repairing them.
    • Regardless, it’s a joke to offer seven years of software on one hand and take it away with restrictive and expensive repair policies on the other.
      • Samsung, like Apple, is raising this barrier.
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      96%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      iFixit ends Samsung partnership over 'commitment'

      Resource Recycling Marissa Heffernan Friday, 31 May 2024 16:40
      • Unique Points
        • iFixit ended partnership with Samsung in May 2024
        • iFixit faced obstacles in getting affordable parts from Samsung
        • Samsung’s Galaxy devices have designs that make repairs costly for consumers
        • iFixit will no longer be Samsung’s designated third-party parts and tools distributor as of June 2024
      • Accuracy
        • Best Buy has ended its repair program for Samsung Galaxy devices.
        • Samsung's Galaxy devices have designs that make repairs costly for consumers.
      • Deception (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Fallacies (95%)
        The author's statements are primarily descriptive and do not contain any obvious fallacies. However, there is an instance of an appeal to authority when iFixit states that 'right-to-repair laws have passed in a handful of states' and 'momentum is building even without OEM support'. This implies that the passing of these laws and the momentum behind them are significant indicators of the importance and viability of repair. While this may be true, it does not necessarily mean that it is a universally accepted fact.
        • 'right-to-repair laws have passed in a handful of states'
        • 'momentum is building even without OEM support'
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication