iFixit’s new Galaxy Fold teardown: the flexi-phone is near-unrepairable

After the initial teardown was taken down by iFixit earlier this year, the repair firm is back with its second teardown of the Samsung Galaxy Fold.

The 19-step teardown — which is worth a much closer study here — halves the phone, removes the screens, batteries and that butterfly hinge to reveal just how repairable the device actually is.

Well, unsurprisingly, it’s about as repairable as a dead hamster.

The company applauds its use of modular components, the need for a single Phillips head screwdriver to take it apart, and the possibility of battery replacements down the line.

But that’s as good as it gets.

It highlighted that the display will “almost certainly” need replacing “before long”. And while the batteries can be replaced, the delicate operation risks damaging the screen’s posts. Samsung also uses a ridiculous amount of glue, front and back.

All in all, it earned a 2/10 repairability score. So if you are planning to buy one of these $2000 smartphones, be prepared to treat it with the utmost care.

Or, you know, buy it for collector’s glee and never unbox it?

Feature image: Samsung