Galaxy S25 Ultra Is Samsung’s Best Repairability, But Falls Short of iPhone 16 Pro

The folks at iFixit took apart the new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra flagship phone to assess its repairability, and found that the device is “one of the most repairable Galaxy phones” in the last decade. But it still falls short of the Apple iPhone 16 Pro.

Image source: ifixit.com

Replacing the battery on Galaxy phones has traditionally been a hassle, as Samsung used to hold it in place with a lot of glue. In the Galaxy S25 Ultra, the Korean manufacturer has switched to four “sticky” latches that now hold the battery in place. This makes it much easier to replace it yourself: just pull the latches, and there’s no excess glue left. However, it’s not a fact that this is primarily Samsung’s merit — according to iFixit, the company decided to take this step due to European regulations related to the right to repair.

Another innovation is the modular cameras — each module can be removed and replaced individually, which reduces the cost of repairs. However, the front camera is glued, and its removal is much more difficult. The design of the S Pen stylus in the Galaxy S25 Ultra is almost identical to the design of its predecessor, with the exception of the missing Bluetooth module. Overall, iFixit engineers called the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra “one of the most repairable Galaxy phones” they have encountered in the last decade.

Despite the praise, the device only received a repairability score of five out of ten — for comparison, Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro was given seven. Samsung was downgraded not only for the design of the device itself, but also for poor repair manuals and inflated prices for spare parts.