What just happened? Repairing electronics is rarely easy. Motorola has partnered up with iFixit to ensure that anyone who needs a new battery or display assembly can get one including all of the needed tools to perform a repair.
Fixing your own electronics has become more difficult as parts get smaller and manufacturers resort to measures that make opening devices harder. Motorola has now become the first smartphone maker that is offering a do-it-yourself repair kit.
Through a partnership with iFixit, Motorola is offering screen and digitizer assemblies, as well as replacement batteries that include the necessary tools to make the replacement. A handful of plastic picks, a pair of tweezers, suction tool, and precision bits arrive with all kits to make opening up a Motorola phone a lot less difficult.
In an era where electronic waste is a problem that has yet to be fully solved, extending the life of devices is important. Other manufacturers, notoriously Apple, have turned their noses up at repair shops and do not offer any opportunity to allow customers to fix their own devices. Instead, consumers are forced to pay for expensive in-house repair services that should be called replacement services. Apple does not actually repair any components. Issues are solved by replacing entire circuit boards or assemblies creating more electronic waste.
A replacement battery for a Moto phone will run you $39.99 and includes all of the needed tools. Screen replacements for less expensive Moto models such as the Moto G4, G5, and Z, are $99.99. The Moto Z Force Droid and Droid Turbo 2 replacement screen kits sell for $199.99, also including tool kits.
In the future, maybe other manufacturers such as Samsung will follow suit and make it easier for consumers to continue using their devices. Even if you are not the type to repair your own gadgets, ease of availability along with official repair guides allow third-party shops to easily support repairs on more devices.
Image Credit: iFixit Moto Z Droid Force repair guide