Image: Samsung
Users in Ireland and other European countries can now carry out some repairs on their smartphones themselves.
A week after Apple extended its own self-repair programme to Ireland, Samsung users can now avail of a similar service.
The South Korean phone maker has announced that its self-repair programme is now available for the latest smartphones, tablets and PCs, including Galaxy foldables.
Having first launched in the US in 2022, Samsung teamed up with repair guides and parts website iFixit to give users access to step-by-step repair guides and the necessary tools for certain repairs.
The company then extended the programme to South Korea, Brazil, Mexico and select European countries including France, Germany and the UK.
The latest expansion of the programme means 30 additional countries including Ireland, Denmark, Greece, Portugal and Switzerland can now access the tools and guides they need to fix their own devices.
The programme means users can replace the screen, back glass, charging ports, speaker, SIM tray, side key and volume key in their Galaxy smartphones. Similarly, Galaxy Book series users will be able to repair the front and rear case, display, battery, touchpad, power key with fingerprint reader, rubber feet, fan and speakers.
The announcement is the latest move from phone makers to help users extend the life of their devices and is another positive step in progressing the right to repair.
In March 2023, the European Commission proposed a series of measures promoting the repair of goods, including digital devices.
In November of this year, the European Parliament and Council voted in favour of a stronger right to repair for consumers along with proposals to extend the legal guarantee on goods and also giving consumers the right to request a repair for certain products – including smartphones – even after the guarantee has expired.
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