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Motorola Becomes First Smartphone Company To Sell DIY Repair Kits To Its Customers (vice.com)

Posted by msmash on from the how-about-that dept.

As Apple continues to fight independent repair, Motorola has partnered with iFixit and pledged to support the right to repair movement. From a report: It is excellent news that Motorola has decided to make it as easy as possible for you to repair your phone. The company announced that it would begin selling replacement parts for all of its recent phones to customers, and it has partnered with iFixit to sell repair kits for phones like the Moto X, Z, G4, G5, and Droid Turbo 2. The kits come with tools, genuine Motorola-branded replacement parts, and instructions on how to fix your device. iFixit is currently selling replacement batteries, screens, and digitizer assemblies. "Motorola is setting an example for major manufacturers to embrace a more open attitude towards repair," iFixit wrote in a blog post announcing the partnership. "For fixers like us, this partnership is representative of a broader movement in support of our Right to Repair. It's proof that OEM manufacturers and independent repair can co-exist. Big business and social responsibility, and innovation and sustainability, don't need to be mutually exclusive."

14 of 78 comments (clear)

  1. how about they make phones repairable by fred6666 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    And I mean screws visible from the outside, no glue, easy to disassemble.

    1. Re:how about they make phones repairable by silverkniveshotmail. · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Because that only appeals to a very small niche and doesn't make them more money.

    2. Re:how about they make phones repairable by houghi · · Score: 2

      Size and cost. Even look at a car. There are many places where they do not use screws, but glue and "christmas trees". The cost isn not only about the price of the screws, but the price of the productiong.

      Pusing somethiong in (with or without glue) is a much cheaper process than screwing it in.Amd the screws will need some sort of glue as well, most likely, to prevent unscrewing.

      Putting two Lego blocks together is easy. Putting two MeccanoM/a> pieces together is harder.

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    3. Re:how about they make phones repairable by Frederic54 · · Score: 2

      Don't know for their latest phones, but I had a Moto G2 and it was very easy to open and repair

      --
      "Science will win because it works." - Stephen Hawking
    4. Re:how about they make phones repairable by ctilsie242 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      My last LG phone had a battery that was easily popped in and out.

      I think there are four reasons for this that are not just planned obsolescence:

      1: IP67+ waterproofing. Phones that can stand a dunk are becoming what consumers expect.
      2: Heat dissipation. Phones have to have better engineering to handle getting the heat from the CPU, battery, and other things to the phone's case so the heat can be dumped.
      3: Thinness of device and bezels. People want the notch and wall to wall screens. Because of this, the thicker phones that allow for easy battery replacement have gone on the wayside.
      4: Style. People don't want machined aluminum, they want shiny glass for their phones.

    5. Re:how about they make phones repairable by couchslug · · Score: 4, Informative

      Automobile design is highly refined and (most) fasteners/fastening methods reflect not only production convenience, but expected frequency of repair.
      Suspension components are typically bolted in place and are easy to replace.
      Windshields are typically attached using clips to center them and adhesive to seal and retain them. They aren't difficult to remove for replacement when damaged. Typical windshield removal tools are designed to slice through adhesive somewhat like using a razor to separate glued consumer electronic components. Inductive heating coils are often used to warm the adhesive.
      Screws into plastic rarely need locking adhesives, but screwed joints in plastic shells rely on the shell joint design to seal out moisture. Adhesives are better for water resistance.
      That said, consumers want the thinnest, lightest possible phone with the most screen real estate. Glued joints are NARROW, require no bosses or reinforced areas for screws to thread into, and permit slightly lighter phones. Phones are fashion for most users, not serious tools.

      --
      "This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
    6. Re:how about they make phones repairable by fred6666 · · Score: 2

      it would appeal to a lot more people if they were aware of it. CAD$333 to repair a phone screen doesn't appeal to the masses either. So you have to pick.

      Also current phone prices doesn't reflect environmental costs. Factor them in, and repairable phones would become much more attractive.

  2. Phones can live forever... by mspohr · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I have two Nexus 5 phones (for myself and my wife) that have together had six screen replacements and four battery replacements. I've done this all myself and I'm now getting quite good at it. Replacement screens and batteries are inexpensive and readily available. These phones are over five years old and they still work just fine. They run all of the current communications protocols (LTE, 3G, Bluetooth, Near Field, etc.) so they are not yet obsolete. The latest version of open source software is available for them.
    I really appreciate not spending money on new phones every few years.
    I think manufacturers need to realize that this is mature technology and customers don't need to upgrade frequently. The latest phones are just bells and whistles. The current focus is on better cameras and the new ones are better but I'm not a professional photographer and if I was I wouldn't use a camera phone. The "old" 8MP camera in the Nexus 5 is just fine for snaps.
    Happy to see Motorola taking this route instead of trying to extort money for a new sale from you.
    (ProTip... any glue used for phone assembly is easily softened with a heat gun.)

    --
    I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
  3. Re:GAY NIGGER MANIA! Get some get GAY NIGGER ASS! by Scarletdown · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Do like the rest of us do. If you don't like a post; just scroll past it. Freedom of speech also includes freedom for idiots to say and post unpopular things, and even things that many may find offensive.

    Implementing hate speech laws in the U.S. would be a blatant violation of the most supreme part of the supreme law of the land. Do not fucking go there. Just ignore it like the grown ups do.

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    This space unintentionally left blank.
  4. Re:Happy to see it. by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Informative

    But maybe there are enough potential customers and independent repair folks to make the repair kits a viable market niche. I'm skeptical. But I hope I'm wrong.

    I think you are wrong, because I see little cellphone repair shops in every city which even slightly deserves that description. If they know they can easily get repair kits for Moto phones, I think that they will do that. They focus on the most popular devices, though, so I expect they'll only stock a couple of models' parts. What I see in their windows is mostly Apple and Samsung. Still, this makes me more likely to continue to buy Motorola phones. I've been a Moto fanboy since before they even made cellular phones; their walkie-talkies were second to none in durability and reliability. I got into cellphones in the Motorola Triplets era (V300-600, and RAZR) and had great fun putting clear cases on them and such. My current phone is an unlocked G 2nd, and it's falling apart but it still works. The adhesive that holds the display down has failed and I keep thinking I'll just replace it, so I keep putting off fixing it... and it keeps working.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  5. Re:Happy to see it. by Scarletdown · · Score: 3, Interesting

    You are likely wrong, I would guess; just considering how prevalent how to videos for so many things on YouTube and elsewhere have become; from auto mechanics, to fishing and hunting, to gardening, and more; I would place good odds on the market being primed for this.

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  6. See that? It is not so difficult by TheDarkMaster · · Score: 2

    If your consumer wants cell phones, sell cell phones. If your consumer wants spare parts for his cell phone, sell spare parts for him (and upgrades where possible).

    --
    Religion: The greatest weapon of mass destruction of all time
  7. This seals it! by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 3, Interesting

    My phone is dying and was already looking at Moto as the replacement, very favorably. This seals it. I am buying X4.

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
    1. Re:This seals it! by farble1670 · · Score: 2

      My phone is dying and was already looking at Moto as the replacement, very favorably. This seals it. I am buying X4.

      I bought a Moto G5 plus for my son last year and am pretty happy with it. They make the best budget phones.

      People need to reward Moto w/ sales. If all that comes of this is existing customers wait longer before getting a new phone it's a fail.