Although Samsung has been making foldable phones for years, up to the present day they haven’t been able to offer self-repair for such hardware. This might be due to how complex these devices are made of compared to brick phones.
First self-service repair for a foldable phone
As for Google, they are apparently taking a step ahead of the South Koreans as they plan to support the Pixel Fold with its self-service repair. This was confirmed by a Google spokesperson to 9to5Google, and it plans to roll out the service later. However, they have not specified when this will kick off exactly.
Similar to its current Pixel Repair initiative, they will team up with iFixit. The latter will supply replacement parts, possibly including batteries and ports, as well as necessary tool kits and how-to manuals on its website. It’s unclear what will be the provision for damaged screens and glass panels given these are the most fragile components in a folding device.
In addition to self-repair, Google said that it is offering an extended warranty under its Preferred Care program for Pixel Fold devices that come with expired warranty coverage. It added this plan will be in the form of a monthly subscription or a one-time payment while broken parts could be repaired or replaced for a certain amount of participation fees. Customers can either send their device by walk-in or via mail-in option.
Google’s Pixel Repair is currently available in most countries and regions where the Pixel devices are sold. These include, but not limited to, the USA, UK, Australia, Canada, and parts of Europe.
Are you willing to fix a foldable phone if provided with guides and tools? Or do you think it is better to have it sent to a service center? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
