Samsung has updated its partnership with US repair company Batteries Plus to now cover the repair of Galaxy devices under warranty.
Previously, Batteries Plus acted as an independent service provider for the Galaxy repair program as of 2018, but would only really perform repairs on out-of-warranty Galaxy devices. But this tweak now extends the service to people with devices within the warranty period, meaning they can get their devices repaired at the service provider’s 35 stores in the US, instead of going straight to Samsung.
Additionally, the Battery Plus technician will “undergo rigorous Samsung Certified training” to repair complex Galaxy devices – looking at you, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. And instead of having to send in their damaged phones, Galaxy users can devices, simply walk into a Battery Plus store and have their phones repaired in person.
“We know the important role Galaxy smartphones play in people’s lives, and parting with them for an extended period of time for repairs can be difficult,” said Mark Williams, vice president of Customer Care at Samsung Electronics America. “Our enhanced partnership with Batteries Plus fills a critical gap in communities where there are no existing Samsung Care locations or other authorized service centers. This means more customers can benefit from our customer-centric healthcare experience and receive in-warranty repairs.”
Quick solution
All this may seem like a minor update. But in an age where repairing devices, even under warranty, can be a painful process of filing forms, gathering packaging and shipping labels, and then dealing with long wait times, such an upgrade is likely a Blessing for special Galaxy device users.
Obviously this is limited to the US, but I hope that similar initiatives come to the UK and other regions.
Samsung offers solid software support for its Galaxy phones, so easy access to repair services should help extend the life of smartphones and tablets at a time when e-waste is still an environmental concern. And speaking as someone who had a Galaxy Z Fold 3 that suddenly stopped working after only about a year of use, a quick and easy repair service would be greatly appreciated.