The smartphone slips on the floor and the entire display is shattered. A broken smartphone - that happened quickly. But what is to be done n...
Mobile phone price vs. repair price
The first consideration when it comes to a broken smartphone is of course the question of price. Would the repair be more expensive than buying a new smartphone? If the answer is yes, then it's quickly decided. For example, if the display breaks on the Xiaomi Poco X3, then it probably makes more sense to buy a new one, since the device only costs around 200 euros. If it is an iPhone 12 in comparison, then the new prices start at around 700 euros.
But what if the price difference is bigger? When is it worthwhile and when would buying a new one make more sense? Of course, personal taste and your own financial situation play a role here.
For example, if you wanted to buy a new smartphone in two months anyway, you should also be able to make a decision quickly. However, if you have only recently bought your smartphone, you are much more likely to repair it immediately, even if the costs are higher.
Liability insurance for the damage caused by third parties
If the owner of the smartphone is not responsible for the damage, but a third party, the liability insurance of this person can also step in. The price of the repair is therefore irrelevant and owners of the broken device should definitely choose this option.
This is how expensive individual damage to the smartphone is
As with a car repair, it is of course not possible to say in general terms how expensive a specific repair would be with a smartphone. The respective device determines the final price since the components of different smartphones are also correspondingly different in price.
Nevertheless, one can give some guidance as to which components - regardless of the exact price - are more expensive to repair than other components.
Easy exchange of components possible:
battery pack
USB port
jack connection
home button
Volume up/down button
screen
framework
SIM slot
SD slot
Camera protection glass
However, if the smartphone is not only damaged in a single small spot but is like a total loss, then a repair rarely makes sense. Even brand new smartphones often have repair costs beyond good and evil. For this reason, users often throw away completely destroyed smartphones even if they are only a few days old - broken is broken.
The most common damage to smartphones: The display of smartphones breaks particularly often. This can also happen quickly if the mobile phone slips out of your hand and lands unhappily on the floor. As a rule, the display has to be completely replaced.
Can I just repair the smartphone myself?
This question quickly arises when the cost estimate for the repair contains enormous sums. The thought is close. Simply buy the necessary spare part and the repair can begin. It can't be difficult.
But the fact is that there is much more to a correct repair. Users must be very skilled and know exactly where the broken component is. The right tools must be available and you also need a dust-free environment.
Anyone who repairs themselves must also be able to answer the question of whether they are definitely not damaging more than they are repairing. This also happens quickly for laypeople when they want to repair their mobile phone themselves for the first time.
It is also important whether the use of the smartphone may result in a loss of guarantee or warranty. Smartphone manufacturers have strict rules as to whether and when they can repair a smartphone themselves.
Off to the workshop – this is how the repair works
Stiftung Warentest has already examined repair services for smartphones in the past and assessed the extent to which repairing the devices makes sense. It turned out that even repairing it is not always the right step, although it could make financial sense.
The testing company found that some of the tested services even returned damaged devices to the customer. In some cases, customers had to wait weeks for their smartphones to be repaired. You should also consider this when asking about a repair or a new purchase.
Repair for the environment
We live in a throwaway society, in which many people don't even think about whether a repair might actually make more sense than buying a new one. The same applies to the used purchase. All of this would protect the environment. To illustrate: In Germany, two million tons of electronic waste are generated every single year - that's the equivalent of 20 aircraft carriers.
This aspect is also relevant in the case of a damaged smartphone. If it were financially possible to simply buy a new smartphone, for the sake of the environment it can still make more sense not to buy one.
Stiftung Warentest has also commented on this. Your own smartphone has very little impact on nature and the environment in everyday use. On the other hand, the production and disposal of the devices place an enormous burden on the environment.
If all citizens in Europe used their smartphones for a year longer than they do now, by 2030 they could save as much carbon dioxide as taking a million cars off the road. This calculation was carried out by the European Environment Bureau.
Prevent smartphone damage
So that your own smartphone doesn't break in the first place, you can protect it from the start. Of course, it is still possible for damage to occur, but certain "accidents" are less likely.
Smartphone case: In order to protect the housing and the internal parts of a smartphone, a protective cover is indispensable for many owners of the device. They are available in all imaginable variants and, above all, designs. If you still want to do without the case, you have to reckon with the fact that the display, the internal parts, and the back can break. At least the frame and the back would be protected with an open protective case.
Screen protector: The name says it all with this utensil. The smartphone display has a protective film that is simply stuck on like other films. It is transparent so that the function of the device is not affected. In some cases, films with extra functions are even offered, so that other people in the vicinity can no longer look at the smartphone, for example. The foil does not necessarily protect against severe fall damage, but at least reliably against scratches and small damages. In order to ensure greater protection, glass films make more sense than plastic films, as these are more resistant to breakage in the event of a fall.
Does it make sense to extend the warranty on a smartphone?
Many manufacturers offer the option of extending the smartphone's warranty period for an additional charge. In this way, one would comply with the environment because one uses the smartphone longer. At the same time, if the damage falls under the warranty, repairs will be taken care of. Anyone who does not have smartphone damage often thinks that an extension of the warranty period is simply overpriced and is not needed.
At the latest when the smartphone crashes to the ground one day after the warranty period has expired, the owners would see it differently, who would then have to put 200 to 500 euros on the table for their broken smartphone on the top device. It's all a matter of contemplation.
However, it is important to always critically question the offer of the dealer. For example, the small print could state whether repairs are made in any case or only if it is still considered economically sensible. These are loopholes in such extended warranty insurance. Also, sometimes certain damages are not covered. All of this must be questioned before the extra insurance is taken out.
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