Robert Triggs / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Samsung and Apple scored D and D-, respectively, ranking second and last in the new smartphone repair report.
- The report uses the EU’s new EPREL repair system, which focuses on how easy it is to open and repair devices.
- However, the report lacks details such as the specific models tested and has a patchy database.
In a new report, Samsung and Apple have been given a pretty clear decision when it comes to repairing smartphones.
According to the latest information The Failing the Fix 2026 study Released by the US PIRG Education Foundation (via Wired), Apple’s iPhones received the lowest D- score among major smartphone brands, while Samsung’s Galaxy phones were not far behind.
The ratings put the world’s top two smartphone makers well behind rivals such as Motorola, which tops the chart with a B+, and Google, which scores a C-.
How are points calculated for smartphone repair?
US PIRG is a consumer advocacy organization that investigates technology, environmental and public interest issues. He often pushes for stronger Right to Repair laws and more transparency from manufacturers.
The organization notes that this year’s report moves to a new methodology for calculating smartphone repairability. Instead of relying on France’s old renovation index, it uses the European Union’s EPREL (European Product Register for Energy Labeling) system, which is designed to better reflect real-world renovation problems.
Under the new EU rating system, repairability is assessed based on several factors, including how easy the device is to disassemble, whether it uses standard tools, availability of spare parts, access to repair documentation and length of firmware. Ease of disassembly carries the highest weight in the system.
The shift from the French index to EPREL hurt both Samsung and Apple. One of the biggest factors driving their scores down is poor disclosure of software support. Although both companies offer long-term software update support, they only advertise the regulatory minimum of five years in the EPREL database. As a result, they get the lowest possible score for that category in the report.
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At the same time, the report also has implications for corporate behavior beyond hardware design. Companies lose points when they have members of trade groups lobbying against right-to-repair legislation, and both Samsung and Apple take a hit here.
However, the report is not without some limitations. Although it rates up to 10 end devices per brand, the database is uneven. For example, Samsung was evaluated using only five models because some of its phones were not yet listed in the EPREL database at the time of the analysis. Similarly, Google’s pricing is based on eight models, as devices older than the Pixel 8 are no longer on sale.
Another notable drawback is the price. Unlike France’s previous repairability index, the EU’s EPREL system does not take spare parts costs into account. Given that high repair costs are one of the main reasons people choose to replace devices instead of repairing them, this is a significant mistake.
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