Smartphone Brands to Provide Mobile Repair Services from Home: A Growing Trend in India

By: Suraj

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Updated on: 10-Jul-2023

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Today, advanced and complex mobile devices are available in the market, which can only be repaired by certified technicians to keep them functional. When summing up the technician charges and parts price, smartphone buyers often have to spend significantly on their mobile repairs. According to a study, the repair and part replacement charges can be as high as $200 (Rs15,000).

Owing to higher repair costs, most smartphone users have started preferring to purchase brand-new smartphones instead of repairing their existing handsets, negatively impacting the ecosystem of our environment.

According to a research report by the United Nations, a normal person produced around 8kg of e-waste, around 61.3Mn of e-waste in a year, and only 17.4% of this was recycled.

Considering recent statistics on e-waste, many leading companies have started offering high-end and efficient customer services to their smartphone buyers, helping them avoid major expenditures on mobile repairs.

For instance, AppleCare+ provides extended years of comprehensive warranty and technical support to Apple customers by charging small monthly fees.

Sustainability Initiatives by Smartphone Manufacturers

HMD Global, popularly known for its Nokia smartphones, recently launched its Nokia G42 under its sustainability initiative. It allows customers to get at-home repair services using the iFixit repair kit.

In 2021, Apple Inc launched a self-repair campaign for its iPhone series, enabling customers to purchase repair kits and repair Apple smartphones at home. Samsung also followed the same trend in 2022 and partnered with iFixit; later, Google partnered with iFixit for its Pixel mobiles.

According to some industry reports, Google Cloud plans to offer a self-repair program for its foldable smartphone users, Pixel Fold. The company’s partnership with iFixit will also enable the marketing of mobile parts and guides for on-sale mobiles accessible, says a 9to5Google report.

The report further states that the users will be able to replace the smartphone battery, foldable screen, and even the charging port by following the step-by-step guide provided by the company. Moreover, Google will provide mail-in and walk-in-repair services for its flagship Pixel Fold smartphones and an extended warranty support facility.

Now more and more mobile users are demanding mobile repair facilities from home, helping them save money, time, and resources, and most importantly, reducing global electronics waste. Despite offering home-based repair facilities, brands need to improve the supply chain and accessibility of authorized smartphone parts like batteries, displays, and other components.