Leaked Samsung contract with third-party repair shops sparks privacy concerns

Summary

• Samsung offers self-repair kits for its latest devices like the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5.
• A leaked contract reveals that Samsung demands customer info from repair shops in exchange for access to genuine parts.
• A lack of clarity on the policy raises privacy and customer rights concerns.

Third-party repair shops offer a more convenient, and often a more affordable way for users to have their best Android devices repaired. Swappa is a great tool that can provide you with estimated costs for common phone repairs, alongside an easy-to-use map that can help you find local repair shops.

Samsung offers genuine parts, tools, and self-guided repair manuals for DIY-ers or third-party repair shops to use under its self-repair program, including parts for some of its latest devices, including the S24 series, and even the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5. The South Korean company, like some of the other smartphone manufacturers, is generally third-party repair friendly, and that’s why a new leaked contract that sheds light on Samsung’s dealings with independent repair shops has us scratching our heads.

According to a 404Media report, quoting an obtained contract that it verified the authenticity of, Samsung’s reported practices aren’t just shady and restrictive, they’re outright egregious, and might infringe on some customer rights. Per the report, in exchange for access to the company’s genuine repair parts, Samsung requires independent repair shops to share information about customers that get their Samsung devices repaired. This reportedly includes the customer’s name, contact information, phone identifiers like an IMEI number, alongside details of the customer’s complaint.

If that wasn’t enough, the report highlights that Samsung requires shops to “immediately disassemble” devices brought to them that have been repaired using aftermarket parts in the past, and “immediately notify” Samsung about it. If a third-party repair shop doesn’t do its part, it gives Samsung grounds to terminate their agreement, essentially leaving the shop without easy access to the tech giant’s repair parts.

The “immediately disassemble” part here is bewildering. If I am inferring things correctly, it means that if I take my Samsung device to a third-party repair shop, and it has an aftermarket part from a previous repair, the shop technician will “immediately disassemble” it. Then what? Will the shop hold onto my device? Will they return it to me in its disassembled state? Are they going to destroy my phone? A simple refusal to repair would have been enough, dude. I can even understand if the technician tells me that there is an aftermarket part in my phone, which needs to be destroyed, and they’ll put in a genuine part to replace it. To “immediately disassemble” the phone, in the way we are interpreting it, is blatant infringement of the right to use third-party parts under the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act.

A clarification from Samsung is needed

The more sensible way to read this, however, might be that third-party repair shops are not supposed to use parts not sourced from Samsung to repair customer devices, and they are supposed to “immediately disassemble” devices and “immediately notify” Samsung about it in case they do use aftermarket parts by mistake, or in cases where a genuine Samsung part was not available.

Regardless of that, the fact that customer information is shared with Samsung, likely without the customer’s knowledge, is a privacy concern. Samsung is yet to comment on the development, though we expect it to be defensive, but also offer clarity regarding the situation.

You can read 404Media’s report for more information on the situation. Alternatively, you can check out the contract (PDF warning) that has been altered to protect the source.

Ironically, Samsung itself offers a Repair Mode on its devices that essentially blocks access to most of the apps on your phone, keeping your personal files, photos, videos, and other data off-limits, and ensuring that repair technicians only have access to the basic apps required to fix your device.