Repair scores are arriving on phone boxes. Here’s what they mean
New labels grade how easy a phone is to fix. We break down the scores — and which phone makers should be nervous.
By Kwame Asante
Buy a phone in the European Union and you will find a new label on the box: an energy-efficiency grade alongside a repairability score that rates how easy the device is to open up and fix.
What the score measures
- How easily common parts like the battery and screen can be replaced.
- How long spare parts and software updates stay available.
- Whether repair manuals and tools are offered to independent shops.
Early scores have been revealing. Several flagships costing more than $1,000 scored worse than mid-range models, largely because of glued-in batteries and proprietary screws.
“A label won’t fix a phone. But it changes what companies are embarrassed by — and that changes design.”
The labels are a European requirement, but phones are designed for global markets. Expect the knock-on effects — easier battery swaps and longer update promises — to reach your next phone wherever you live.
Written by
Kwame Asante
Security Reporter
Kwame covers privacy, security and the policy fights around both. He has never reused a password, and he will tell you about it.
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