Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Teardown Reveals Improved Repairability—But There's Still a Catch

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has been put through its paces in a teardown by iFixit, revealing notable improvements in repairability compared to its predecessors.

While Samsung has made only a few hardware tweaks, those changes turned out to be significant, making battery replacements easier and some components more modular.

Battery Replacement Made Easier

One of the biggest frustrations with Samsung's past flagships has been the excessive use of glue to secure the battery. With the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Samsung has introduced four pull tabs that allow the battery to be removed with minimal effort. The lack of adhesive between the battery and the chassis means replacing it is now far easier than before, making DIY repairs more feasible.

iFixit speculates that this change wasn't entirely voluntary but was likely influenced by right-to-repair laws in Europe. These regulations are pushing smartphone manufacturers to improve repairability and make battery replacements more consumer-friendly.

Display Repairs Still a Challenge

While Samsung has made battery replacement more straightforward, screen repairs remain difficult. The teardown revealed that the display adhesive is still strong, requiring the phone to be heated to 150°C for three minutes before the screen could be detached. This makes display replacements a complex task, especially for those unfamiliar with phone repairs.

The good news? Most common repairs-including battery and camera replacements-do not require removing the display, so unless the screen itself is damaged, users and repair technicians can avoid dealing with the adhesive altogether.

Modular Camera Design-But With a Limitation

Another positive change in the Galaxy S25 Ultra's design is its modular rear cameras. Each camera module can be removed and replaced separately, making camera repairs more cost-effective. However, the selfie camera is glued in place, making it much harder to replace.

Additionally, the camera lens cover glass can now be replaced without removing the back glass, another small but welcome improvement.

S Pen Changes and the iPhone Comparison

A teardown of the S Pen revealed that it shares a similar structure to its predecessor but has undergone some changes. Notably, some internal components are missing, as Samsung has removed Bluetooth functionality from this generation's stylus.

Despite these improvements, iFixit still rated the Galaxy S25 Ultra's repairability lower than the iPhone 16 Pro, which scored 7/10 compared to Samsung's 5/10. The iPhone benefits from a dual-entry design, better repair manuals, and less restrictive replacement part pricing, whereas Samsung continues to bundle multiple components together, making individual part replacements more expensive.

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