The News: Samsung recently announced the expansion of its Samsung self-repair program to include new Galaxy devices such as the Galaxy Pro 15”, Galaxy Book Pro 360 15” along with Galaxy S22, S22+ and S22 Ultra family of products. See the full Press Release from Samsung here.
Samsung Continues to Embrace Right-to-Repair to Include New Galaxy Devices
Analyst Take: Samsung’s recent expansion of its Samsung self-repair program to now include new Galaxy devices is an excellent move for the company on many fronts. Not all organizations and consumers are created equal, with the same personal or IT budgets. In essence, as much as everyone would like to buy the latest iteration of a device when first launched, many customers forgo that option.
In fact, it is not uncommon for some organizations to buy refurbished equipment or opt to extend the life of the product beyond the typical product adoption cycle. In fact, in times of economic uncertainty like we are currently experiencing, many are also trying to extend the life of their devices.
In addition, as much as products such as personal computers, smartphones and other devices often go through rigorous testing such as the MIL-STD 810H (e.g., shock resistance, drops, vibration, etc.) and IP68 certified (e.g., water resistance, etc.), people always seem to find new and creative ways of damaging their devices.
I mean, who hasn’t been at a crowded stadium somewhere watching your favorite team play and suddenly getting whacked by an overzealous fan, and watching your smartphone catapult into the fan abyss? The upside of this instance is that while the phone might suffer some damage, if you can manage to hold onto the overpriced nachos and beer you were also holding, it can still be considered somewhat of a win.
Instances like this are exactly where the Samsung self-repair program can be a perfect fit. Consumers can get their devices repaired immediately by working with a local retailer/reseller or a repair kit purchased from the likes of iFixit.com. Quick and easy resolution to device repair needs is pretty much what ever consumer seeks, and this move by Samsung, embracing right to repair, continues to deliver on that front.
Samsung’s Moves Here Focus on Promoting a Circular Economy and Minimizing E-Waste — Extending to Galaxy Devices is Key
To further along its strategy to promote a circular economy and minimize e-waste, the Samsung repair program now includes the Galaxy S22, including the S22, S22 Ultra, and S22 plus. This is key since Samsung is the market leader in unit shipments for smartphones.
In fact, as of Q3 2022, the company controlled ~21 percent of the worldwide smartphone market. The Samsung repair program also includes its 15-inch Galaxy Book Pro and Galaxy Book Pro 360 notebooks. The program is in partnership with iFixit.com that allows its users to buy replacement parts along with watching guides how to repair the devices themselves.
Wrapping it up, Samsung’s decision to expand its Samsung self-repair program to include its S22 family of smartphones along with its Galaxy pro notebooks is an excellent idea since it promotes a needed circular economy along with offering budget conscious consumers and organizations greater flexibility to service their devices.
Disclosure: Futurum Research is a research and advisory firm that engages or has engaged in research, analysis, and advisory services with many technology companies, including those mentioned in this article. The author does not hold any equity positions with any company mentioned in this article.
Analysis and opinions expressed herein are specific to the analyst individually and data and other information that might have been provided for validation, not those of Futurum Research as a whole.
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