Best Buy will no longer repair Samsung Galaxy devices

iFixit cited several reasons for ending its partnership with Samsung regarding repair practices. The primary reason was the doubt in Samsung's commitment to making repair more accessible. iFixit faced obstacles in getting parts to local repair shops at prices and quantities that made business sense. The part prices were so high that many consumers opted to replace their devices rather than repair them. Additionally, the design of Samsung's Galaxy devices remained frustratingly glued together, forcing iFixit to sell batteries and screens in pre-glued bundles that increased the cost. These factors led to iFixit deciding to end its partnership with Samsung as their goals regarding device repairability did not align3.

According to the leaked contract, Samsung imposes several requirements on repair shops. These include:

1. Sharing customer data: Repair shops are required to provide Samsung with the customer's name, contact information, phone's unique identifiers, and details of the customer's complaint for every repair performed.

2. Disassembling devices with third-party parts: If a device has been repaired using aftermarket parts in the past, Samsung requires the repair shops to "immediately disassemble" the device and "immediately notify" Samsung about it.

3. Limiting board-level repairs: The contract also limits third-party repair shops from performing "board-level repairs" which require soldering.

4. Maintaining certification from WISE: Samsung requires these repair shops to get and maintain certification from "WISE," which costs shops $200/year and funds an organization that is part of CTIA, known to fight right-to-repair movements.

These requirements have raised concerns about privacy and customer rights, as well as the right to repair electronic devices.