Samsung kicks off home repair program, starting with S20 and S21 models

Apple began offering replacement parts to its U.S. users a few months ago, ensuring access to some of the components most likely to break. Now Samsung is kicking off a similar program in partnership with iFixit, offering parts for two of its recent high-end series: the Galaxy S20 and S21 and a tablet model. For starters, the program is only available in the US.

Samsung offers repair kits for screens, cases and USB ports

Unlike Apple, which tries to control as much of the process as possible, Samsung offers Galaxy S20, S21 and Galaxy Tab S7+ tablet users access to components either through iFixit or through its stores and service centers. There is now a limited selection of parts that can be ordered to fix the most common issues you may have with your phone or tablet, at home, without a service and without any additional costs.

In Samsung’s offering of components, customers can find displays, batteries, vibrator, glass covers for the back of phones and charging ports. Unfortunately, Samsung only offers repair kits, with the display and battery bundled together with the vibrator, metal frame and all necessary adhesives in kits. So if you only need the screen, or only the battery, you won’t be able to order them individually, but will have to buy them together.

Prices can range for a screen and battery repair kit between $200, for the standard Galaxy S20, and $240 for the Galaxy S21 Ultra. The glass cover repair kit costs between $77 for all devices, while the USB port costs $67. The prices aren’t exactly affordable, being similar to what you’d pay for these in-store, with all the labor.

Still, this is a first step toward providing access to genuine components directly from the manufacturer, something that was hard to get in the past. Samsung will expand the repair program to other regions.