Apple vs Samsung — Most repairable flagship smartphones

Regardless of the unhealthy rep it typically will get about its strict management over smartphone components and repairs, Apple’s flagship iPhones from the previous 5 years are literally extra repairable than these supplied by its largest rival — Samsung.

That’s in response to smartphone repairability scores awarded by main US third-party electronics restore store iFixit.

iFixit is amongst a number of companies and people that assist the right-to-repair motion, which is advocating for customers to have the suitable to freely modify and restore their merchandise.

It seeks to have firms make their merchandise extra sustainable and simpler to repair.

The motion is especially targeted on electronics, which may have very advanced assemblies and delicate parts that make them difficult to open up and restore with out inflicting additional injury.

For a number of years, iFixit has been calculating repairability scores for common smartphones to assist folks determine which gadgets are greatest if they need a simple restore expertise.

It charges the repairability of a smartphone from zero (unrepairable) to 10 (best to restore), based mostly on teardowns by its engineers.

iFixit’s measurement of repairability is complete and consists of quite a few parts of the smartphone’s restore handbook, availability of spare components, and its design.

Apple vs Samsung

We in contrast how the highest two smartphone manufacturers in South Africa — Apple and Samsung — stack up when it comes to repairability.

We targeted particularly on the flagship phase, as the costs of smartphones on this class imply repairing them typically is smart.

Apple’s worst-rated smartphones when it comes to repairability carry a rating of 4/10.

Whereas that may seem to be a horrible rating, it’s worthwhile to notice it is the same as the utmost 4/10 for Samsung’s Galaxy S-series flagships.

Apple’s iPhones extra frequently obtain a 6/10 repairability rating, whereas most of Samsung’s flagship smartphones have scores of three/10.

iFixit considers scores of 5 or above as “respectable”, whereas 4 means “perhaps you possibly can nonetheless repair it, but it surely’s more durable than it must be”.

In keeping with iFixit, the first challenge with Galaxy S-series repairability is the battery being very firmly glued and requiring intensive disassembly to service.

With the most recent Apple flagship — the iPhone 15 sequence — iFixit praised the precedence given to simple display screen repairs and entry to different components by way of the again glass.

It additionally stated the screws and clips aided in reassembly, with or with out the substitute of adhesives.

The desk beneath compares the repairability scores of varied flagship smartphones launched by Apple and Samsung between 2019 and 2023.

One vital caveat with Apple’s gadgets, which applies particularly to scores for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 sequence — is Apple’s components pairing coverage.

The producer makes use of software program to establish when an element linked to an iPhone isn’t a “real” Apple half.

This leads to deterrent messaging on the gadget, which may irritate the consumer.

After discovering this components pairing hiccup, iFixit downgraded the scores of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus from 6 to 4.

iFixit’s scores for the iPhone 14 Professional, iPhone 14 Professional Max, and your entire iPhone 15 sequence are additionally provisional as a result of it’s but to find out if Apple applies this coverage to those fashions.

Even so, a rating of 4/10 continues to be greater than the standard 3/10 of most Galaxy flagships.

If you’re on the lookout for probably the most simply repairable smartphone and usually are not bothered about premium specs, then neither Apple nor Samsung ought to be your chosen model.

In keeping with iFixit, probably the most repairable latest smartphone in the marketplace is the Fairphone 4 — with a rating of 10/10.

Whereas its specs put it squarely within the mid-range, the smartphone has additionally obtained excessive reward from outstanding tech YouTubers JerryRigEverything and Louis Rossman for its repairability.

All the foremost components of the telephone — together with the battery, show, cameras, earpiece, loudspeaker, and USB-C port — are user-replaceable.

Not like different smartphones, this requires no specialist instruments both, with solely a Phillips #00 screwdriver essential to take away the screws. This device is included within the bundle.

Sadly, Fairphone’s gadgets usually are not formally accessible in South Africa, though you would possibly be capable to purchase one from a specialist importer.

Different telephones with “respectable” repairability scores from the previous 5 years embody the Shift 6m (9/10), Nokia G22 (8/10), Google Pixel 6 (6/10), Google Pixel 5a (6/10), and Google Pixel 5 (6/10).

Sadly, none of those fashions can be found in South Africa.

Now learn: Apple should face lawsuit about controversial iPhone energy throttling device