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The Story of Samsung's failed deal with iFixit, as told by iFixit's CEO

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Re: The Story of Samsung's failed deal with iFixit, as told by iFixit's CEO

#91

Post by initplus »

michaelt wrote: post #5

> “I don’t know why Samsung insists on charging so much for service parts,” Wiens says, visibly frustrated. “The prices that we see are out of line with what we know components actually cost to manufacture.” Wiens starts to elaborate but stops himself. He clarifies that he would love to discuss this more, but his contract with Samsung prevents him from doing so. I mean, it's pretty easy to guess: They want to run the…

This is a rod Samsung has made for their own back though. Fewer SKU's, and more shared parts between models would be better for consumers and for the planet.

Re: The Story of Samsung's failed deal with iFixit, as told by iFixit's CEO

#92

Post by Suppafly »

kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #88
chuckadams wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems much simpler than that to me: iFixit isn’t an advocacy group, they’re in the business of selling parts directly to consumers, and they’re calling out what looks to be an outrageous markup from the sole supplier. Any advocacy they do is in support of their business. They’re a free market solution demanding a freer market.

The sole supplier is using the free market to set its pricing, limit its warehousing overhead, and drive sales of new products. Don't like it, buy something else.

>Don't like it, buy something else.

Sure, but you're allowed to not be happy about it and to criticize the supplier.

Re: The Story of Samsung's failed deal with iFixit, as told by iFixit's CEO

#93

Post by Suppafly »

dangus wrote: post #60
GeekyBear wrote: post #10

In my opinion, if you are going position yourself as a neutral arbiter of device repairability, it does not pass the smell test to enter into for-profit business relationships with the companies manufacturing the devices you rate. Providing consumers with information on where to find reputable companies selling repair parts would be a much more palatable alternative to selling them yourself. > “I don’t know why Samsu…

I disagree. iFixit offering original OEM spare parts for the Steam Deck is amazing. It's mutually beneficial: iFixit handles a service business that Valve would rather not be in, and customers get a more repairable product. It's also a source of revenue for iFixit that is probably more reliable than depending on advertising or selling tools. A similar deal with Samsung or another phone maker would be amazing.

>A similar deal with Samsung or another phone maker would be amazing.

Exactly. I usually use ifixit's guides but often by the parts on amazon or ebay because generic parts are generic parts, but if ifixit could certify that their parts are OEM certified, I'd definitely consider paying the extra that they charge to buy from them.

Re: The Story of Samsung's failed deal with iFixit, as told by iFixit's CEO

#94

Post by jccalhoun »

brookst wrote: post #15
GeekyBear wrote: post #10

In my opinion, if you are going position yourself as a neutral arbiter of device repairability, it does not pass the smell test to enter into for-profit business relationships with the companies manufacturing the devices you rate. Providing consumers with information on where to find reputable companies selling repair parts would be a much more palatable alternative to selling them yourself. > “I don’t know why Samsu…

Agreed that for-profit relationships are inappropriate, and I also think iFixit’s business selling repair tools and parts is inappropriate. The whole thing comes across as self-promotion for their tools/parts business. Add in their dabbling in lobbying for regulations to force manufacturers to make devices that you can buy ifixit (and other) kits for… and it starts to feel as disingenuous as Epic’s “pro-consumer” int…

> iFixit’s business selling repair tools and parts is inappropriate.

But isn't that why they exist? I have always seen the teardowns and repairability scores as advertising. If they didn't sell repair tools then what would they make money on?

Re: The Story of Samsung's failed deal with iFixit, as told by iFixit's CEO

#95

Post by Suppafly »

noboostforyou wrote: post #76

Anecdotal only but I've had to buy very obscure Samsung replacement parts twice in recent years and definitely noticed how expensive it was. One was a proprietary cable for a tv and another was a specific-length ignition wire for a stove top pilot light. Both times I was able to find a no-name brand replacement part on amazon but reviews were mixed and there was no guarantee of fitment. And it wasn't that much of a d…

>One was a proprietary cable for a tv

My dad's tv is like that, the weird proprietary cable that connects the external control box to the actual screen, except the cable is literally not for sale and even the connectors aren't available if you wanted to try and make your own. They have to baby the existing one and hope it doesn't completely break.

Re: The Story of Samsung's failed deal with iFixit, as told by iFixit's CEO

#96

Post by Suppafly »

FireBeyond wrote: post #81
noboostforyou wrote: post #76

Anecdotal only but I've had to buy very obscure Samsung replacement parts twice in recent years and definitely noticed how expensive it was. One was a proprietary cable for a tv and another was a specific-length ignition wire for a stove top pilot light. Both times I was able to find a no-name brand replacement part on amazon but reviews were mixed and there was no guarantee of fitment. And it wasn't that much of a d…

I have a Samsung fridge that has an integrated water pitcher setup (keeps it full inside the door). It's actually pretty cool. Nice pitcher too. However, I made the mistake of putting it in the dishwasher on a Sanitize cycle (normal cycle is meant to/should be okay). The heat deformed the pitcher (just plastic). I did some various heating myself to make the top sit right again, but it just never did, and it being ver…

>And this is not someone on Amazon gouging. Indeed Samsung themselves want $140.

It's almost understandable if it's a one off part that not many people will buy because it costs money to make extras and keep them stocked, but something like a pitcher, you could imagine that lots of people would like to have multiple of them.

Re: The Story of Samsung's failed deal with iFixit, as told by iFixit's CEO

#97

Post by pessimizer »

FireBeyond wrote: post #81
noboostforyou wrote: post #76

Anecdotal only but I've had to buy very obscure Samsung replacement parts twice in recent years and definitely noticed how expensive it was. One was a proprietary cable for a tv and another was a specific-length ignition wire for a stove top pilot light. Both times I was able to find a no-name brand replacement part on amazon but reviews were mixed and there was no guarantee of fitment. And it wasn't that much of a d…

I have a Samsung fridge that has an integrated water pitcher setup (keeps it full inside the door). It's actually pretty cool. Nice pitcher too. However, I made the mistake of putting it in the dishwasher on a Sanitize cycle (normal cycle is meant to/should be okay). The heat deformed the pitcher (just plastic). I did some various heating myself to make the top sit right again, but it just never did, and it being ver…

> And this is not someone on Amazon gouging. Indeed Samsung themselves want $140.

The one from Amazon is probably going to be counterfeit, was manufactured for $1, and doesn't fit quite right.

That being said, the stock one was probably manufactured for 25¢.

Re: The Story of Samsung's failed deal with iFixit, as told by iFixit's CEO

#98

Post by pessimizer »

gknoy wrote: post #85
FireBeyond wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a Samsung fridge that has an integrated water pitcher setup (keeps it full inside the door). It's actually pretty cool. Nice pitcher too. However, I made the mistake of putting it in the dishwasher on a Sanitize cycle (normal cycle is meant to/should be okay). The heat deformed the pitcher (just plastic). I did some various heating myself to make the top sit right again, but it just never did, and it being ver…

My LG refrigerator had similarly priced replacement parts for the removable shelves in the doors, several of which cracked. It was bonkers. Is this partly because the demand for these specific parts is relatively low?

It's entirely because the demand for replacement parts cannibalizes the demand for new refrigerators. If they can sell you a plastic shelf for $100 with a 99% margin, for them that's like selling you half a refrigerator.

Re: The Story of Samsung's failed deal with iFixit, as told by iFixit's CEO

#99

Post by VHRanger »

mark_undoio wrote: post #50
daghamm wrote: post #8

I really liked the plans Samsung employees had to give old phones a new life. I have a box of mostly working phones from different companies and I often wish there was an easy way to use them for different automation tasks around the house. Anyway, I'm not surprised it didn't work. Engineers see possibilities while lawyers only think about how something goes very wrong and the company ends up in court.

I've heard if the company really wants stuff to get done efficiently then they need to put a lawyer on the product team - i.e. change the incentive from "prevent engineering creating risks, even at the cost of them failing" to "help engineering manage risk whilst succeeding".

I mean, its positioning them to enable rather than block.

We also see devops and netsec often play the lawyer role, where they feel their job is to block others from deploying anything that's not a golden cathedral.

Re: The Story of Samsung's failed deal with iFixit, as told by iFixit's CEO

#100

Post by VHRanger »

thaumasiotes wrote: post #53
kwiens wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It was a fantastic idea! We had the prototype software and it worked great. Take your old phone, put Docker on it, and do anything! Phones, even very old phones, are incredibly capable devices: cameras, antennas, accelerometers, large touchscreen. They just need a new purpose.

Well, the other thing I'd want from a repurposed old phone is to remove the battery. Having it glued to the screen would be a problem.

If its rooted you can put a charging controller on it.

The battery is not dangerous or even particularly perishable if its always kept between 30% and 60% charge.

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