The Samsung Galaxy S8 has been hugely popular and is obviously expensive, and now we know it is fragile too. But despite being fragile, the phone is affordable to repair. The parts of the smartphone can be sourced relatively more affordably than those of other expensive smartphones.
Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are fragile but affordable to repair
According to several experts interviewed by Motherboard, the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are quite fragile devices, but they are relatively affordable to repair as well. Justin Carroll, owner of the Richmond, Virginia-based Fruit Fixed smartphone repair shop, told Motherboard that when it comes to price point and repairability, the smartphone is good, but it is definitely going to break when it comes to durability.
Several independent repair shops are of the opinion that the Galaxy S8 lineup is quite resistant to drops, as Samsung decided to almost completely remove the bezels on its most recent flagships and covered them with glass. The repair shops believe that the design allows for simpler screen replacement, according to Motherboard.
Replacing the display panel on Samsung’s two latest flagship phones is cheaper than on the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. Currently, wholesale retailers in China are replacing screens for approximately $200. This is about $100 cheaper than what the replacement panels for the Galaxy S7 lineup were in early 2016 when the phone launched. The Galaxy S8 costs about $750, so it is worth getting it repaired rather than buying a new one.
After the release of the Galaxy S8 phones, SquareTrade, an electronics insurance company, put them through its breakability test, which includes a series of tumbles, dunks and drops. The smartphone was deemed to be the most breakable phone of all time.
“S8 is the first phone we’ve tested that’s cracked on the first drop on ALL sides,” the company said.
Nevertheless, the repairability factor of the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus will probably not affect their commercial performances. Both phones are projected to overthrow all other Android-powered competitors in sales this year.
Samsung announces “unlocked” version
Samsung announced on Tuesday that customers can now buy a Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8 Plus for full price, i.e. an “unlocked” version of the phones. It is good news for international travelers, who now will be able to avoid costly roaming charges by U.S. wireless carriers. However, the only demerit is that the phone will actually cost more than a handset purchased through a wireless carrier. This is because these phones will not be subsidized through device installment plans or contracts, notes CNBC.
Such phones are a good deal for people who travel a lot. A traveler can take an unlocked smartphone into a foreign country and purchase a much more affordable service plan from a local wireless carrier. The unlocked Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus are available for preorder for $724.99 and $824.99, respectively. The smartphones will be widely available starting May 31, and can be bought from Best Buy or Samsung.com.
