Many consumer electronics makers have begun to shout sustainability spells over the past few years. People are more aware of the long-term negative impacts that these products can have in the environment and are companies that demand more responsible for maintaining the future. However, this same company will not be able to make a profit if our entire planet is burned in the process.
As the largest smartphone maker in the world, Samsung also has one of the toughest loads in reducing the number of e-waste and carbon emissions produced by its business. The company recently revealed these steps, including the use of recycled fish nets for some plastic, but its efforts would not end there. Now other shoes have come down, and Samsung surprises the smartphone market with the announcement that it not only allows people to repair their own cellphones, but will even sell their replacement parts and tools to allow.
This announcement is a big deal, especially for the “right to improve” movement. Sustainability, after all, is not just about using recycled material or can be recycled, but also about extending the life of a product outside the period advertised or guaranteed, which in electronic cases, involves being able to repair the device, especially on your own.
Unfortunately, it seems that the business is set to get profit from making the phone difficult to repair. From ending support after only two years to the first expensive party or official repair service, the outdated” has been criticized not only by consumers and advocates but even by parliamentarians in various countries. Samsung has begun to take a big step from the status quo with, for example, expand the support of software up to four years or more, but this might be the biggest and risky step.
According to the announcement, certain Samsung cellphone and tablet owners in the US will be able to repair the device itself. Of course, that doesn’t mean anything if consumers don’t have access to the right tools and substitute parts, so that Samsung will also provide it. Even better, the company will encourage the owner to restore the former parts so that they can be disposed of responsibly or recycled if possible.
Samsung was the second big smartphone maker who announced a strong attitude in self-improvement, with Apple made the first brave statement last November. Samsung self-improvement program has not been launched, but also does not have Apple. One difference that can occur in supporting Samsung is that it has partnered with iFixit to make it happen, and iFixit is one of the biggest and most vocal supporters of the right to improve movement, so that it will be able to make Samsung still check.
The catch is that not all devices will be part of this upcoming program. So far, only Galaxy S20 and S21 phones, as well as the Galaxy Tab S7 +, have been named. Hopefully there will be more to come, but complete details about this official self-repair service will not be available until the end of this summer.
Meanwhile, Samsung also reminded customers that there are various service choices available for them if they do not have the heart to repair their own cellphones, including having the official crew visiting them at home.