Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Teardown Video Indicates Self-Repair Enthusiasts Might Struggle to Disassemble the Phone

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 was launched last month at the company's Galaxy Unpacked event. iFixit has released a teardown video of the new book-style foldable smartphone, giving us a glimpse at its internals and rating its repairability. The firm has given the Galaxy Z Fold 7 a poor repairability rating in its latest teardown. The tightly packed internal components and secured batteries appear to make the self-repair of the phone extremely challenging, even though it fared well in a recent durability test.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Repairability Revealed via iFixit Teardown

The iFixit team begins the nearly eight-minute teardown video by removing the back panel of the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The device houses two separate battery cells, but accessing them is a complex process. To reach the first cell, the user removed ribbon cables, numerous screws on the back, and completely disassembled the lower assembly which includes the USB Type-C port.

According to the teardown video, Samsung uses a pull tab for battery removal, but the strong adhesive makes extraction tough. For the second cell, the iFixit team applies heat to the cover display and uses a suction cup to detach the panel, highlighting that battery replacement is not user-friendly. They then had to remove several additional small components, including a SIM card tray that was glued down. After an extended disassembly process, they were finally able to access the second battery.

Further, the teardown noted that the fragile inner folding screen significantly complicates repairs. The display bezels are glued in place, and margins are tight, often leading to damage during disassembly. The external display is claimed to be 'sensitive to pressure and torsional rotation'. The video states that it can be easily damaged by dirt particles or even the 'slightest amount of pressure from your fingernails'.

The video points out that replacing only the display panel of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is generally not feasible, as screen repairs usually require swapping out the entire screen and chassis assembly. iFixit also highlights that sourcing replacement parts for Samsung's foldable phones remains a major challenge, as they're not easily available for consumers.

At the end, the teardown video gives the Galaxy Z Fold 7 a repairability score of three out of 10, calling it a 'repair nightmare'.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Specifications

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 was launched in July with a price tag of Rs. 1,74,999 for the 12GB + 256GB variant in India. The foldable runs on a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset. It has an 8-inch inner screen and a 6.5-inch cover display.

The handset also features a triple rear camera unit, headlined by a 200-megapixel primary sensor. The handset houses a 4,400mAh battery with 25W wired charging support. It has a 4.2mm thickness in the unfolded state and weighs 215 grams.