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Josh Miller/CNET
The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is not especially friendly to DIYers, according to iFixit.
The smartphone, set for release on Friday, was the subject of a teardown from iFixit, which sells repair parts and offers free online repair guides to electronic devices.
Like iFixit’s many other teardowns, the Galaxy S6 Edge was forced open and its innards removed for all to see. And by the end of the teardown, iFixit decided that the Galaxy S6 Edge scores just a three out of 10 for repairability. By contrast, Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus scored seven out of 10 for repairability last year.
The Galaxy S6 Edge received praise for its “modular” components that make them easy to be replaced, but was hit hard for making it difficult to get inside the smartphone. iFixit also reported that the Galaxy S6 Edge’s battery is “tightly adhered” to the device’s insides and tough to get to. iFixit also fears that replacing cracked glass on the screen could result in destroying the display altogether.
Samsung’s Galaxy S6 Edge was announced last month in tandem with its nearly identical sibling, the Galaxy S6. The Edge has a tapered screen that differentiates it from the Galaxy S6, which comes with a traditional flat display and bezel. Both products come with a 5.1-inch ultra-high definition screen, 16-megapixel camera and an octa-core processor.
The Galaxy S6 line is designed to be Samsung’s answer to products like Apple’s iPhone 6 lineup and the HTC One M9. More importantly, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge are being eyed as key to the company’s ongoing attempts to revive its ailing mobile business.
Last year was troubling for Samsung’s mobile division, which saw revenue and market share slump at the hands of Apple’s iPhone and China-based Xiaomi. Samsung has said it will reduce the number of smartphone models it sells in 2015 by a third to concentrate its resources and efforts.
So far, so good. The Galaxy S6 Edge has earned high marks in its first month in the spotlight, earning a score of nine out of 10 from CNET’s Reviews team. CNET Reviews called the Galaxy S6 Edge The smartphone is so appealing, in fact, that CNET Reviews Editors argue that it “has the beauty, brains, and brawn to take down the iPhone 6 and all the Android competition.”
While such reviews provide an understanding of the experience consumers can expect if they buy the device, iFixit aims at helping folks figure out how easy it would be to open up the Galaxy S6 Edge and fix it — an exploit saved for a precious few. The teardown, however, also identifies what’s running inside a handset.
Not surprisingly, given that Samsung is a conglomerate that builds all kinds of tech components, the Galaxy S6 Edge is filled with the company’s wares. According to iFixit, the Galaxy S6 Edge’s octa-core processor, storage, and near-field communication chip are all built by Samsung. Samsung relies on just a few other companies, including Skyworks, Avago, and Invensense, for the device’s other components, according to iFixit.
Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
