SMALL REPAIR FORUM

To calculate the repairability index of a phone, we consider several factors. This article gives an overview of them. In order to simplify the discussion, we are going to focus on replacing the most common parts of the phone which are susceptible to wear and tear, i.e. battery, charging port and display.

Ease of disassembly

There are usually three areas that determine how easy it is to open up a phone and replace the internals parts.

• Use of adhesives for back cover, battery, etc. : Usually, this is the trickiest part of the disassembly and needs some skill to do it without damaging the phone. Good repairable phones use clips and tags instead of glue, which makes it much easier to open up the phone.
• Access to the parts that need to be replaced. Well designed repairable phones require quick and easy access to the parts like the battery, display cables, charging ports, etc. Fewer screws and plates need to be removed and the components are modular.
• Use of special tools to disassemble. Some manufacturers use special screws (like tri-wing, T-20) in their assembly, which require special screwdrivers to remove. Repairable phones stick with a consistent Phillips screws throughout.

Manuals or instructions to repair

Very few manufacturers give out service manuals for self-repair. However, there are several YouTube videos that teardown phones and are a good resource to understand the steps involved and gauge the complexity of the repair. Most popular phone models have good content on disassembly, but some of the older/rarer phones might not have good authoritative content.

Availability of spare parts

It is unfortunate that there is virtually no availability of OEM spare parts for the customers directly. Most OEMs rely on their service network to repair and replace phone parts. The only spare parts available online are third-party which are of questionable quality, especially the battery.

However, it is good to see the online retailers like www.maxbhi.com have a fairly comprehensive collection of phone spare parts. Recently launched phones take a few months before their spare parts are available online. A repairable phone should have spare parts easily available.

Summary

Mobile phones are a significant investment, and for most of us the hardware and software specs of our current phones will be good enough to last 4-5 years. Manufacturers making their phones repairable will help us keep our phones longer, and in turn reduce e-waste. The repairability score of a phone will help you choose the right phone.