The Galaxy S9 and S9 + are dismounted. No improvement on repairability

The verdict fell on the repairability of Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 + and unsurprisingly it is bad, as was already the case on the S8 and S8 +.

As usual, the iFixit site has launched on Samsung's new Galaxy S9 and S9 + to debone them to assess their repairability. A disassembly operation that has allowed iFixit technicians to see that it is not only outside that these phones look a lot like their predecessors, the Galaxy S8 and S8 +. Indeed, the similarities are numerous from a material point of view and their manufacture is very reminiscent of that of smartphones of last year.

In these conditions, it is not surprising that the repairability rating assigned to the Galaxy S9 and S9 + is identical to that obtained by the Galaxy S8 and S8 +: 4/10. A verdict that sanctions the complicated opening of the terminal, sealed by a large amount of adhesives, and the fact that it is ultimately very difficult to remove the facade and back glass without breaking them. Especially since to replace the screen and its protective glass, it is mandatory to remove his back, which increases the difficulty of any repair. iFixit notes that replacing the battery of S9 and S9 + is technically possible since it remains removable, but again, the main difficulty is to access it. The good point made by iFixit is that most of the components of these smartphones are modular and can be replaced individually, which is good news from an economic and ecological point of view.

This disassembly in good condition is unfortunately no surprise. The evolution of smartphone manufacturing techniques, their ever-thinner and more sophisticated design, their glass composition - at least on the high end - make phones less and less easily repairable. Very good students in this area are indeed extremely rare. Apple's iPhone X had, however, been better off than the latest generations of Samsung Galaxy smartphones and had been awarded a repairability score of 6/10 following disassembly: screen repair and battery replacement are facilitated by its design, while the use of screws is preferable to glue.