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A recently discovered US trademark filing from Samsung suggests it may be expanding its self-repair service and launching a new support app to boot.
The app is called Self Repair Assistant, according to the declaration (opens in new tab) on the website of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Its purpose is to provide “consultancy and information services related to [the] self-installation, self-maintenance and self-repair…” of various mobile devices. Samsung currently has one collaboration with repair company iFixit to provide information and resources to its self-healing program. Launching this app means you no longer have to go to iFixit’s website to read a guide; it all goes through Samsung.
Self Repair Assistant questions Samsung’s partnership with iFixit. Nowhere in the application is the repair company mentioned as an employee. We’ve reached out to iFixit to ask if it will continue to work with Samsung on the new app or if it’s a solo effort. A company representative contacted us and said the company has no comment at this time.
Expansion
The application also shows that smartwatches and earbuds are eligible for the Self Repair Program. So, there is a chance that handyman users will find their Galaxy Buds or Look 4 devices in the future. At the moment, the platform hasn’t changed in the slightest since its launch a few months ago, not even support for the Galaxy S22. It’s still the same three product lines: the Samsung S20 series, the S21 series and the Galaxy Tab S7 Plus.
A possible phone icon for Self Repair Assistant can be found in the application, but not much else is known about the app. It is currently awaiting investigation by the US Patent and Trademark Office; presumably to ensure that what Samsung is working on complies with US regulations.
We also reached out to Samsung to see if it could answer our questions about the app and when people can expect support for the S22 phones in the Self-Repair Program. While it’s entirely possible that the program will expand, a trademark filing is just an indication of what could happen; there is no warranty on anything. This story will be updated at a later date.
Ahead of the competition
Assuming everything pans out in the trademark filing, this could give Samsung an advantage over its rival Apple that has launched Self-service repair back in 2021. People can order replacement parts to fix certain iPhone and MacBook models; however, the catalog has since remained static. There’s also no mention of expansion with AirPods or the Apple Watch Ultrafor example.
But if there’s one thing we wish Samsung and Apple would include in their respective programs, it’s the ability to add a new battery. After a while, losing smartphone batteries their efficacy. In fact, most mobile devices lose about 20 percent of their original battery capacity within the first year. Attempts have been made to create better power, but who knows if and when we’ll see smartphones with radically better batteries and battery life.
If you want to learn how to fix your devices even more, TechRadar has a list of the best repair software for business pc that you have to check out.