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The most maintainable smartphones you can buy in 2020

You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs, and you can't sell new smartphones without making old ones obsolete.

If you want more control over your consumption and no longer want to be a slave to your smartphone's expiration date, you need to pay attention to maintainability. This concept is still being formed and is not yet considered by reviewers as a decisive criterion.

Some tech and e-commerce players are still trying to enforce the concept of maintainability. In the United States iFixit, which specializes in the repair of technical products, serves as a barometer of programmed obsolescence, and its maintainability figures are headlines with every smartphone release.

In France Fnac / Darty Group developed a Smartphone Repairability Index in June 2019 as part of its Annual Aftermarket Barometer. This barometer is used in tests conducted LaboFnac (Fnac edition). WeFix Is another player, which can be roughly called the French iFixit, who also contributed to the development of this index, sharing his experience in disassembling smartphones.

By cross-checking the recommendations of all these repairability ratings around the world, we've compiled a partial list of the most repairable smartphones on the market.

The right to repair: what does it mean?

The right to repair the mechanism, as you might have guessed, is opposed to programmed obsolescence, but especially the limitation of device service (here the smartphone), which manufacturers jealously guard. Specifically, this “right to repair” is intended to nudge or even force manufacturers to adopt greener processes in both the development and after-sales service of their products.

Some manufacturers produce devices that are difficult to repair and almost impossible to disassemble. The parts are glued or even welded to each other or to the chassis. The repair manual is not included in the package or is available online at the official website. Spare parts are not available or not available at a price two years after the release of the smartphone, and using common parts due to lack of proprietary parts will void the warranty.

In short, this set of practices can be attributed to almost every smartphone manufacturer today. They not only contribute to programmed obsolescence, but they also contribute to depriving you, at least in part, of the product you did buy.

You kind of have to buy a new model every two to three years. The problem is not with the hardware, but with a software update that slows down your device and eventually overcomes your resistance. Why are some people starting to refuse to buy a smartphone for between $ 500 and $ 1000 every two years? It's too expensive? I bet it's too expensive. But the manufacturers haven't realized this yet.

Criteria for evaluating good maintainability

Haware Traore, Head of the Smartphone Sector at LaboFnac, gives us a list of the criteria used to develop the maintainability index. Each criterion (five in total, availability and price are grouped into one here) is rated from 0 to 20, and they all have the same value (1/5 total). The final score (the average of five criteria) ranges from 0 to 10.

  • Data Sheet: "We look to see if the manufacturer provides instructions for disassembly, reassembly, part replacement, maintenance, or use of the device in the box (manuals) or on the official website (owned by the brand)."
  • Modularity and availability: “Everything can be repaired if you have the tools, the time and the money. We use a kit that does not include any professional tool, everything can be found in stores. As I have to use more tools, and therefore take longer, the maintainability rating will decrease. As soon as I have to use another tool that is not included in the kit, the part will be considered irreparable because the non-professional user will not be able to get the tool to change it anyway. But we also take into account replacement and re-assembly. How easy is it to replace the IP68 display gasket, for example, or are there tabs to make it easier to remove the battery. "
  • Availability and price of spare parts: “First, we note the presence of this detail. We check if there are common parts that can replace the manufacturer, for example if he used a common or his own port for the battery. Typically, manufacturers commit to have availability for two years, but some do not make any commitment. Others take on a general seven-year commitment, not for a specific product, but for the entire range. What interests us is a commitment to a product that is not a subject of commercial policy, we require an actual commitment in relation to the developed products. As for the price of the parts, we compare it to the total purchase price of the smartphone. Ideally, the price of all parts should be less than 20%. Anything above 40% and the score is zero. Manufacturers often suffer greatly from the cost of the display. ”
  • Updating and reinstalling software: “We verify that the product can be reset by any user. Among other things, we also make sure that the manufacturer provides free access to the smartphone's ROM if it allows you to install alternative versions of the operating system, as well as pre-installed software. The user must have the right to revert to the version of his choice. "

The most refurbished smartphones you can buy today

Haware Traore gave us the top XNUMX most repairable smartphones that went through LaboFnac. We also consulted the iFixit rating, which is less stringent but applies more or less the same criteria to assess the maintainability of devices under their control.

Fairphone 3 is clearly the best maintainability advocate in both LaboFnac and iFixit. LaboFnac then places two mid-range and entry-level Samsung phones in the rest of the top three. High-end smartphones have a hard time getting good grades, but iPhones are pretty good pupils in this regard, at least according to iFixit.

Fairphone 3+ - Repairability Champion

Released on September 10th, Fairphone 3 has become one of the most reliable and reliable smartphones on the market. Its components are very readily available and for the most part are easy to replace. Most repairs / replacements of parts only require one tool, which is supplied in the box. Now the company has released a sequel in the form of Fairphone 3+. What's great about this is that if you already own a Fairphone 3, you can simply buy the upgraded parts and install them yourself. This is what a truly modular smartphone looks like!

03 FAIRPHONE3781 flatlay 3plus frontscreen flat
Fairphone 3+ and its modular camera upgrades.

Fairphone 3 and 3+ is not a smartphone for users looking for the fastest processor or the latest technology. But if you want a smartphone that can be repaired easily and relatively cheaply (469 euros) and you are not interested in premium design, you should take a look at Fairphone 3!

Fairphone 3 Taken Apart
Fairphone 3 is the most repairable smartphone on the market.

Those who value sustainability and want to reserve the opportunity to repair their smartphone on their own will find it here. The smartphone received 5,9 points out of 10 by LaboFnac and 10/10 by iFixit. “The Fairphone received a score of zero for parts because the power button is welded to the chassis. However, the manufacturer does not manufacture the chassis as a spare part, so it is considered irreparable because it is not available, ”explains Haware Traore.

Samsung Galaxy A70 is the most maintainable Samsung

Samsung Galaxy A70Launched in April 2019, it launched in response to growing competition from cheaper Chinese models and to mark the redesign of the range of the Korean giant Galaxy A. The Galaxy A70 features a 6,7-inch (2400 x 1080 pixels) Infinity-U display. There is a waterdrop notch at the top of the Super AMOLED 20: 9 display that houses a 32MP (f / 2.0) camera, while Samsung has a triple camera on the back.

samsung galaxy a70 back
The Samsung Galaxy A70 is easily repairable compared to the rest of the market.

Under the hood is an Octa-core processor (2x2,0GHz and 6x1,7GHz) with 6 or 8GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage. There's also a 4500mAh battery on board that supports 25W ultra-fast charging.

Samsung's “premium features” for the Galaxy A70 also include a built-in in-display fingerprint reader and face recognition. At LaboFnac, the Samsung Galaxy A70 scored 4,4 out of 10, placing second on the podium. IFixit has not disassembled the smartphone in order to assess its maintainability.

This is more than an honorable rating when you consider that the average Fnac / Darty rating is 2,29. Thus, in terms of maintainability, the Samsung Galaxy A70 is the best in its class.

Samsung Galaxy A10 is easier to repair than high-end smartphones

Samsung Galaxy A10Released in April 2019 at less than $ 200, is the brand's latest low-cost phone. In both looks and specs, this smartphone exudes entry-level appeal, and I mean that's a compliment.

Of course, the plastic back isn't enough to make you drool, and the 6,2-inch IPS LCD isn't as bright as a good Super AMOLED panel, we'll give you that. It should also be admitted that the Exynos 7884 SoC, coupled with 2GB of RAM, will not allow you to run Call of Duty Mobile with full graphics settings, and navigation between different applications will not be as smooth as in the models mentioned above.

The single 13-megapixel camera on the back won't delight even the most limited of photography enthusiasts, but it's surprisingly good. Even some smartphones that cost twice as much are no better. But it's much easier to repair than the Samsung Galaxy S10, which was five times more expensive than the A10 at launch.

Galaxy A10 Front Back
Samsung Galaxy A10 is more repairable than much more expensive Galaxy S10

LaboFnac gave the Galaxy A10 a 4,1 repairability rating, making it the third in the ranking. iFixit did not rate this model again. However, the repairman gave the Galaxy S10 a mediocre 3 out of 10, and the Galaxy Note 10. The Galaxy Fold got 2 points.

Thus, we can observe a strong trend towards maintenance-free in high-end models. But as we will explain below, this does not necessarily mean that the smartphone being repaired is necessarily an entry-level or mid-range model.

Google Pixel 3a proves it can be repaired and premiums aren't mutually exclusive

With the Pixel 3a, Google wanted to democratize its photography formula from the first Pixel 3 with a name. And overall the service is pretty fair, especially at $ 399 at launch, which is half the price of the Pixel 3 when it launched. However, the Pixel 3 XL logically stayed one step ahead in terms of power.

As such, the Pixel 3a presents itself as a great photography alternative for those who believe battery life is not an obstacle. It also offers the added benefit of working with the Google API and the use of rapidly deployable updates.

google pixel 3a grass
Google Pixel 3a, one of the most expensive models among the most maintainable

And this is also the first Pixel smartphone to be repaired, at least according to iFixit, which gave it a very good 6 out of 10. Despite the presence of too many thin cables that can break in case of awkward actions, iFixit assures that they "I liked going back to the era of more easily repairable devices."

On the plus side for the Google smartphone, the screws are standard T3 Torx format so you don't have to change the screwdriver every time you open it. But that's not all, the glue holding the battery does not seem to be too durable, as it is on the screen. The components are also relatively easy to remove. In short, repairing the Pixel 3a seems like child's play compared to some other smartphones. Please note that the Pixel 1 of this brand also received very good ratings, for example, iFixit gave it a 7 out of 10.

Apple's iPhones are good students too

Recent generations of iPhones are also getting good maintainability scores, at least on iFixit. Thus, the iPhone 7, 8, X, XS and XR received 7 out of 10 points from iFixit. The iPhone 11 scored 6 out of 10 on the iFixit scale. On all these models, the repairer will be happy with easy access to the battery, which nevertheless requires a special screwdriver and a specific method, but this is not very difficult, the website says.

Apple is known for its passion for hardware, with which the brand protects its secrets and provides after-sales service to its products, particularly the iPhone. “Apple has a problem with its certification processes. You cannot order Apple parts without certification, you need permission. The maintainability index determines the maintainability without the need for a manufacturer account. They have all the information, it is really very accurate, but they do not want to report it to third-party repair / test specialists yet, - explains Haware Traore.

In any case, if the software update didn't slow it down, your iPhone is probably one of the most maintainable smartphones on the market, but it should be, and it has long been known. at an Apple store or authorized service center.

iPhone 11 pro max 100 days 4
Apple iPhone, despite everything, is easily repaired

Maintainability and High Level: An Impossible Compromise?

As we saw in developing this collection, high-end smartphones are rarely the most refurbished. Components often stick or weld to the chassis, or cannot be removed without special tools that are not available commercially. But the main obstacle to renovation isn't necessarily disassembly / reassembly, according to LaboFnac's Hawar Traore.

“Performance degradation when upgrading firmware on high-end smartphones is a major concern. Because of this, they cut a significant portion of the maintainability index here at home. We do not have any diagnostic tools that would help us diagnose at boot without crashing, for example “. So programmed obsolescence still has a long way to go.

But, according to WeFix's Baptiste Beznouin, this is not fatal. “Maintainability is becoming more and more democratic, manufacturers are seeing a mandatory rating of maintainability, and this is pushing them towards new production concepts,” explains the repair expert.

And in conclusion: “I am absolutely convinced that we will be able, in spite of what is being done today, to have high technologies, in short, objects made of noble materials, jewelry, and creating something more modular, we will have to think from the product concept” ...

At a time when the market is interspersed with fast fashion dynamics, with cheaper products subject to regular updates (every two or three years), this optimization is good, but difficult to separate. Moreover, maintainability alone is unlikely to be a decisive criterion for more sustainable consumption.

The fact that my smartphone is easily repairable and spare parts are available for a longer period of time does not mean that aggressive brand marketing will not convince me that my model is too old to move on to the next one.

While it is possible to force producers to adopt more sustainable processes, it is difficult to impose such behavior on consumers. Regulating the market by discouraging purchases seems completely unnatural from an economic point of view. And to rely on the awareness and responsibility of buyers is utopian and even inappropriate.

Maybe the way out is not to slow down, leaving the model for 5 or even 10 years instead of the usual 2-3 years. But it's better to give a second life to our old smartphones by developing a circular economy. We will still be able to blindly chase the latest flagship without throwing our old model in the trash can, especially if it is easily repairable and therefore recoverable.


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