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Just yesterday, the repair site iFixit announced it’s ending its partnership with Samsung. The collaboration came to an end less than two years after the companies partnered for a device repair program in 2022. iFixit cited that they failed to renegotiate the contract as Samsung’s approach to repairability no longer aligns with its own goals. As of June 2024, iFixit will no longer be Samsung’s designated third-party repair parts and tools provider.
While we wait for Samsung to provide an official statement on the matter, 404 Media has leaked a confidential contract document. It reveals the phone maker’s dealings with independent repair shops. The leaked document suggests that Samsung requires repair stores to report almost all user details in order to obtain genuine spare parts.
Samsung requires repair shops to share information about users who get their devices repaired
According to the document, Samsung requires independent repair stores to share all information about users who get their devices repaired. The repair shops must sign this contract to get genuine repair parts from Samsung. These shops are required to provide Samsung with details such as the customer’s name, address, email, and phone number. It requires info on issues with their devices, warranty status, and details of the complaint. In addition, the company also needs the product’s IMEI number, which is a unique device identifier.
Repair shops are required to upload details of every single repair job to a Samsung database
Notably, the aforementioned requirements are for every single repair job, no matter how big or small. The contract requires the shops to “daily” upload all the information of each and every repair into a Samsung database called G-SPN. Furthermore, the contract also forbids these shops from repairing any board-level issue that requires soldering, a very common type of repair.
The contract also compels shops to “immediately disassemble” devices with aftermarket parts
If divulging user information wasn’t enough, the repair shops are also required to snitch on their customers. The contract forces these stores to “immediately disassemble” any product the consumers have brought in, which was previously repaired with aftermarket or third-party parts.
For example, if you got the USB port or other component of your phone repaired using a third-party part and take it to an independent repair shop to get the battery replaced. The repair shop must inform Samsung that your device was previously repaired using parts not bought from the company.
The shops must kill your phone by disassembling all of its components. The repair store would then presumably either charge you for a part you didn’t ask for or give you back a dead device. It doesn’t appear to be a good business practice for small independent repair shops. Especially, if they snitch on their consumers for the crime of using aftermarket parts, even though it’s perfectly legal.
404 Media claims it’s “verified the authenticity of this contract”. The Verge says it’s from 2023
404 Media claims it’s “verified the authenticity of this contract”. Although the publication recreated the version embedded in their post to protect the source, it hasn’t changed any conditions. The Verge editor Sean Hollister also claims to have seen a copy of this contract. Citing an unnamed source, he also suggests that this document is from 2023.
Samsung could replace the language and conditions before July 1, when the right-to-repair laws go into effect in various states. The Korean tech giant may have already replaced the language of the contract with independent repair shops in some states. That’s because the upcoming right-to-repair law in states like Minnesota wouldn’t let Samsung enforce such a contract.