The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 has been given a disappointing repairability score of 3 out of 10 by the folks over at iFixit. The Z Fold 7 may be the thinnest foldable phone ever made at 8.9mm, but that really hurts its repairability and durability.
iFixit spoke about the challenges that come with repairing the phone in a new video, and it sounds like it’s a bit of a nightmare for anyone who wants to try to fix it at home. The phone is full of adhesive, and some parts are nearly impossible to remove without breaking them.
While other companies like Huawei and Oppo have focused on things like tri-fold screens and silicon-carbon batteries, Samsung has gone all-in on making its new phone as thin as possible. This has been a popular trend, but there was going to be a point where phones would be too thin.
The phone has two lithium-ion batteries that are considered consumable components, and they will need to be replaced sooner or later. Getting to them, though, is a challenge due to the excessive amount of adhesive used on the screen and other parts. In the end, the team had to use a bunch of heat and a heavy suction cup just to get an opening for their pick, but you likely would just take it to a store and pay a fee for this kind of effort.
To be fair, though, they did discover that the phone has a heatless back panel removal feature, which released before they could even get the screen off. The team also saw that the super modular USB-C port carries over from the S25 Ultra and makes port repairs a breeze. Still, the battery was one of the worst parts of the repair.
After getting past the back panel, it should have been simple to disconnect the battery and remove the interconnect cables to pull it out. However, this meant taking apart the lower assembly, removing several press connectors, and taking out a few screws. Unfortunately, Samsung used the older pull tab style adhesive, which is supposed to make battery removal easier, but in reality, it requires too much force and often ends up tearing.
After getting one of the batteries out, the team had to remove the mainboard and cables to get to the second battery. To get it out, they needed three picks and a spudger, and it was a whole ordeal.
Basically, getting the batteries out of the Fold 7 requires a lot of experience and many tools. However, the biggest issue with the Fold 7’s repairability is the inner screen, which is the most fragile component in the entire device.
It costs a whopping $589 to replace the 8-inch AMOLED panel, and the process is just as bad. The bezels are glued in, and the margins are so tight that sharp tweezers and some force are needed, which led to the iFixit team destroying the bezel in the process. The screen itself is also extremely sensitive to pressure and torsional rotation, so you’d only realistically attempt to remove it if it were already broken.
This is not a good review for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, and iFixit just gave the same score to the Nothing Phone 3. It seems like the smartest way to repair a Fold 7 is just to take it to an official shop; otherwise, you may end up doing more damage trying to fix it.
Source: iFixit