What They Say
Ifixit has torn down the iPhone 14 and was happy to find that the handset seems to be easier to repair and sees that as ‘a big deal’. It points out that the exterior design has not changed much, but the interior has. Key is a new ‘midframe’ that allows the front or back to be removed. As the site said:
“Just two screws, and both screen and back glass are immediately accessible. Incredible.”
Ifixit gave a repairabillity rating of 7/10 – the highest it has given since the iPhone 7.
The site also looked at the Samsung Galaxy X Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 – particularly at how vulnerable they are to dust and dirt. The site found that performance has improved since the 3 but is still imperfect. It also looked at the cost of insurance (which allows a screen change for $29 within the three year insurance period).
The Korea Herald recently got a forecast from Samsung that by 2025, 50% of premium smartphones will be foldables and should reach 75 million unit sales by then.
What We Think
I broke my new Samsung Galaxy’s display during IBC, so this is a subject close to my heart. I have a screen replacement booked for tomorrow so it will be interesting to see how it goes. Ifixit points out that the Galaxy opens from the back and is, effectively, built on the display so the whole thing has to be disassembled and re-assembled to repair it. (BR)
Image:Ifixit
