Samsung has updated its partnership with US repair outfit Batteries Plus to now cover the repair of Galaxy devices under warranty.
Previously, the Batteries Plus served as an Independent Service Provider for the Galaxy repair program from 2018 onward but would only really tackle repairs on Galaxy devices that were out of warranty. But this tweak now expands the service to people with devices within the warranty period, meaning they can get their devices fixed at the service provider’s 35 stores across the US, rather than go direct to Samsung.
On top of this, the Battery Plus technician will “undergo rigorous Samsung Certified training” in order to fix complex Galaxy devices – looking at you, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. And rather than needing to send off their damaged phones, Galaxy device users can simply walk into a Battery Plus store and get their phones repaired in person.
“We know the important role that Galaxy smartphones play in people’s lives, and it can be inconvenient to part with it for an extended time due to repair,” said Mark Williams, vice president of Customer Care at Samsung Electronics America. “Our enhanced partnership with Batteries Plus fills a crucial gap in communities where there isn’t an existing Samsung Care location or other authorized service centers. This means more customers can benefit from our customer-first care experience and get in-warranty repairs.”
Quick fix
All this might seem like a small update. But at a time when getting devices repaired, even under warranty, can be a painful process of filing in forms, getting packaging and shipping labels together, and then facing long wait times, such an upgrade is likely to be a boon for dedicated Galaxy device users.
Naturally, this is limited to the US, but I’d hope to see such initiatives come to the UK, and other regions as well.
Samsung offers solid software support for its Galaxy phones, so having easy access to repair services should help extend the life of smartphones and tablets at a time when e-waste is still an environmental worry. And speaking as someone who had a Galaxy Z Fold 3 that suddenly stopped working after only around a year’s worth of use, having a quick and easy repair service would be hugely appreciated.
