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Motorola and iFixit partner to sell phone repair kits

ifixit.org

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Re: Motorola and iFixit partner to sell phone repair kits

#61

Post by addicted »

Retric wrote: post #49
craftyguy wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So it's ok to screw over customers as long as you apologize after they find out?

It's not screwing over customers as a slow phone is better than a phone that turns off at the same time. At most you can say they where trying to fix a hardware issue with software which is never a clean solution.

Except the situation isn’t binary. It’s not either slow your phone down or let it not working. The problem is Apple makes the other option, battery replacement, extremely difficult. If you do it with Apple, then you have to pay a ludicrously high amount (and I’m not sure if they give you a new or a refurbished battery). Further, Apple does not provide third party repairers, or customers, access to genuine parts. Even worse, as Louis Rossman has publicized, they work with US customs to prevent 3rd party repairers from even acquiring genuine batteries.

Re: Motorola and iFixit partner to sell phone repair kits

#62

Post by addicted »

balls187 wrote: post #48
craftyguy wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Only after apple was caught red-handed slowing down older phones to entice users to upgrade.

That's a gross misrepresentation of fact. Apple engineers slowed the CPU in the phone, in order to keep battery life reasonable, and prevent the phone from restarting when worn batteries couldn't deliver power. Windows does this with laptops. Apple's mistake was not disclosing it. There an argument for user experience that advocates making the best choice for the user and not over burdening them with options.

It’s not just not disclosing it. Their geniuses would actively tell you that the phone was not any slower and that you were imagining it.

Re: Motorola and iFixit partner to sell phone repair kits

#63

Post by bradfa »

nerdponx wrote: post #8
organsnyder wrote: post #5

Looks like my next phone will be a Motorola! I'm tired of "upgrading" phones every couple of years because the battery wears out.

FWIW, you can now get an official iPhone battery replacement for $30 on the "last-gen" models, or for free with Applecare. https://support.apple.com/iphone/repair/battery-power It looks like on some issues, we still have market power.

This $29 official Apple battery replacement ends in December 2018, so if you want to take advantage of it, act soon. I expect the price will go back up to the former $69-$79 range in 2019 even for phones affected by this $29 campaign.

Re: Motorola and iFixit partner to sell phone repair kits

#64

Post by kwiens »

organsnyder wrote: post #9

One (relatively small) criticism: there doesn't appear to be a way to purchase the repair parts without getting the tools, as well. I already have a deluxe toolkit from iFixit, so I'd be getting tools I don't need—ironically, leading to some waste (though far less than disposing of a phone, of course). Edit: never mind! There is a "part only" option for each kit.

Glad you found the part only option. We sell both, but we find that 80%+ of folks prefer to get the kit that guarantees a complete solution.

Re: Motorola and iFixit partner to sell phone repair kits

#65

Post by sixothree »

organsnyder wrote: post #21
ceejayoz wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can replace the battery in virtually any phone, Apple included. Apple'll do it for you for a pretty nominal charge - $30-70 in most cases, and that includes the battery and labor. https://support.apple.com/iphone/repair/battery-power They're not made to be just popped in/out, sure, but it's entirely possible to get more years out of a phone this way. I'd be more concerned with software updates than battery.

The last time I tried to replace a battery the phone (a Nexus 5) was never the same—I broke one of the small plastic tabs in the case, which I think led to a poor antenna connection. If the phone isn't designed for it, it's easy to mess something up like that. Apple does seem to be doing a better job than most of the Android OEMs at ensuring longevity.

I've brought two iPhones in for battery replacement and both times my phone left with additional issues. One issue required replacing the phone. The other was a minor annoyance with the screen.

Re: Motorola and iFixit partner to sell phone repair kits

#67

Post by abhiminator »

Fnoord wrote: post #25
icebraining wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I own a Moto G, and you don't need any special tools to replace the battery. They just make it easier. Also, the kit includes a new battery! It's not $40 just for some tools.

I had a Moto G2, and it was incredibly easy to break the up and down physical buttons on it whilst repairing it.

I used to use a Moto G2 as well and I second this. My volume-rocker keys were super wobbly, and literally popped-out in my finals days with the device.

Re: Motorola and iFixit partner to sell phone repair kits

#68

Post by seniorsassycat »

Partnering to make repair parts available is a good step but modern phone design makes accessing the phones internals very difficult.

I had a Moto X4 that suddenly stopped turning on or pulling charge when plugged in. I suspected the battery so I went to pull the phone apart. Here's ifixit's guide to replacing the battery on a Moto X [0].

Modern phones don't have screws, they use clips and glue. Waterproofing adhesive is popular on waterproof phones, maybe there isn't another way to seal a phone, but that just looking at a phones internals will break the water proofing. The battery on a Moto X is accessed from the screen side, removing the screen requires a heat gun, cutting and prying on a fragile screen.

[0]: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Motorola+Moto+X4+Battery+Replac...

Re: Motorola and iFixit partner to sell phone repair kits

#69

Post by ateesdalejr »

bloopernova wrote: post #10

I have a lot of respect for iFixit. They at least appear to have their heads screwed on right, and the tools I've bought from them do really seem to be good quality. My only recent "complex" task that needed their tools was adding a hybrid water cooler to a 1080ti GPU. Their stuff was great, and their customer service has been good too. (EDIT: I meant to say, the addition went well due to their tools, good quality st…

What exactly would qualify a phone as user repairable? I'm guessing something could be repairable by users, but the costs of the tools are prohibitive. Would that be considered user repairable or would cost of materials and tools have to factor into the equation?

Re: Motorola and iFixit partner to sell phone repair kits

#70

Post by bubblethink »

Nullabillity wrote: post #46
omnifischer wrote: post #11

FYI: Motorola is also friendly towards ROM development. You can easily unlock bootloader and slap lineageOS/AOSP. Of course, for people from US - it may not work if you have a carrier branded phone. https://motorola-global-en-uk.custhelp.com/app/standalone/bo...

Meh, that requires you to create an account and ask them for permission to unlock. I'd rather take a Nexus or OnePlus where it's a much simpler offline process (allow unlocking in dev settings, `adb reboot bootloader && fastboot oem unlock`).

>I'd rather take a Nexus

Pixels, the ones bought from the google store (as opposed to retail channels), do allow you to unlock the bootloader, but that is still an implicit network permission check. You cannot get to the oem unlocking screen without turning on wifi, which is basically how it phones home to check if you are allowed to unlock it.

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