It’s not a question of if the Galaxy S8’s screen will break, but more of when it will break. Various tests have shown that the Galaxy S8 can’t handle accidental drops that many other asus parts can, which means you either have to use protective gear with your phone, shell out extra cash for insurance, or put some money aside for the inevitable accident that will ruin your Galaxy S8’s display. The good news is the Galaxy S8’s screen is cheaper to replace than you’d expect, and that’s why repair shops can’t wait for you to break your phone.
According to a report from Motherboard, third-party smartphone repairs shops are thrilled to hear the Galaxy S8’s display will easily break, and they’re preparing accordingly. “The price point is good, the repairability is there,” Fruit Fixed smartphone repair shop owner Justin Carroll told the tech site. “Durability-wise, it’s definitely going to break, no question about that.”
“We had a call within 24 hours of the phone being released,” Carroll added. “But we’re going to consistently see them in our shops within a month, I’d say.”
The replacement displays are relatively easy to procure, and they’re more affordable than Galaxy S7 parts, the report notes.
The screens cost just over $200 in China, which is between $50 and $100 cheaper than Galaxy S7 screens had cost at launch. Caroll said that the goal of repair shops is to reduce the price of a display replacement below $200, which is the price that most blackberry parts insurance deductibles run.
Even though the Galaxy S8 might be cheaper to repair, $200 is still a lot of money. On top of that, there’s no guarantee that you won’t drop the phone again after you repair it, which will require additional repair jobs.
That said, you should know that the price of replacement screen could go down even further, especially for counterfeit screens that do not originate directly from Samsung’s suppliers. Finally, the arrival of the OLED iPhone could further reduce the price of replacement screens, thanks to economics of scale.