Samsung has officially revealed the final specifications of its next-gen GDDR7 GPU VRAM for graphics cards. The company appears to have opted for the reliability and performance of its graphics memory modules instead of boasting higher numbers.
Companies including NVIDIA, AMD, and others would soon begin testing Samsung’s GDDR7 VRAM for their upcoming graphics cards. The South Korean tech giant competes with SK Hynix and Micron in the memory game, but the latter may have beaten Samsung in the numbers game.
What are the final specs of Samsung GDDR7 VRAM chips for GPUs?
Samsung has announced two types of GDDR7 VRAM modules: K4VAF325ZC-SC28 and K4VAF325ZC-SC32. As the names indicate, K4VAF325ZC-SC28 memory chips boast 28Gbps speeds. The K4VAF325ZC-SC32 VRAM chips can go up to 32Gbps.
The Samsung K4VAF325ZC-SC32 has a standard-voltage 32 Gbps die, while the K4VAF325ZC-SC28 is optimized for low voltage. What this essentially means is that the majority of upcoming low and mid-tier graphics cards will be featuring low-voltage optimized 28Gbps VRAM chips. Only the top-tier, power-hungry, GPUs from NVIDIA may pack the 32Gbps chips from Samsung.
According to WCCFTech, “each module will feature a 32-bit wide bus interface and a refresh rate of 16K/32ms”. Samsung has confirmed it will offer the GDDR7 memory modules in a 266 FBGA package.
Each GDDR7 VRAM module will feature a 32-bit wide bus interface and a 16K/32 ms refresh rate. It is interesting to note that Samsung has confirmed its upcoming GDDR7 GPU memory will only feature 16GB chips, which translates to 2GB VRAM per module. Incidentally, the current generation GDDR6 chips too have 16GB modules.
How does the Samsung memory stack up against the competition?
Samsung’s current generation GDDR6 VRAM modules max out at 24Gbps. Moreover, only a few rare top-end GPUs such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER have been able to hit 22.5Gbps.
Simple mathematics indicates, in terms of raw speed, the upcoming GDDR7 memory promises to be 24.5% better in the lower-end 28Gbps variant, and a whopping 42% better in the 32Gbps line-up.
Samsung recently revealed its GDDR7 VRAM chips at GTC, and the company has now moved the production line to “sampling”. What this means is that GPU makers can request Samsung for a trial batch and incorporate these new GDDR7 VRAM chips into their graphics cards.
If Samsung and GPU makers scale up manufacturing quickly, graphics cards with the new GDDR7 memory modules may arrive in the third or fourth quarter of the current year.
While these swanky new chips are attractive, Samsung’s main competition may have beaten the company in the numbers game. SK Hynix and Micron had recently hinted their upcoming VRAM chips could hit 40Gbps speeds. Moreover, these companies have also promised 64GB memory modules. It is, however, important to note that these manufacturers haven’t yet handed over their products to graphics card manufacturers.
Google hasn’t been shy at all lately about experimenting with the interface of its note-taking app, Google Keep. Just last week, we reported on a floating navigation bar that was being tested in Keep for new note creation, similar to the design used in Google Chat. However, it looks like now Google is experimenting with yet another way to input your notes.
As reported by TheSPAndroid, a fresh Google Keep update (version 5.24.112) brings another iteration of the new note button to light. Upon digging into the code for that version, it appears the floating navigation bar is a thing of the past. The new experimental update introduces a floating action button (FAB), the iconic circular button with a plus sign often found in Google’s design language. This choice mirrors the design seen in Google Calendar.
Image Source: TheSPAndroid
This new floating button replaces the entire bottom navigation of the Keep interface. Tapping on this FAB expands it vertically to offer three distinct options: draw a note, create a list, or create a text note.
While unexpected, this change signals that Google is not done tweaking Google Keep’s interface in search of the most intuitive note-taking experience. The use of the FAB instead of the floating bar we saw last week, does offer some advantages. Collapsing the bottom bar frees up more screen space for your notes, which could now be taken with a single tap. Additionally, the FAB button aligns with Google’s material design trends, so it offers a familiar design that may be more intuitive for those that regularly use Google’s apps.
Of course, this is still an experimental feature and there is no guarantee that it’ll roll out to the wider public. However, it illustrates Google’s dedication to streamlining Google Keep’s functionality and interface. Google Keep’s current interface is starting to become stale, so a little sprucing up and the addition of new features is a welcome change.
Heads up, WordPress admins! A new malware campaign is actively preying on WordPress websites, generating popup ads. Identified as Sign1, the malware has targeted over 2500 WordPress sites in the recent wave of attacks, exhibiting sneaky behavior to avoid detection.
Sign1 Malware Actively Targets WordPress Sites
According to a recent post from the WordPress security service Sucuri, they have caught the Sign1 malware actively infecting hundreds of websites lately.
As explained, the researchers found the malware embedded in a website plugin that otherwise allows arbitrary code injection by site owners. While such plugins help the developers, criminal hackers may also abuse them maliciously. In this campaign, the researchers detected the malware in the plugin’s custom-css-js.
Dissecting the code made the researchers find the time-based randomization (using the Date.now function), which further helps the malware to generate dynamic URLs. Besides, the malicious code also exhibits obfuscation, hence becoming more difficult to detect.
Both these techniques aided the attackers in staying under the radar. Consequently, they could compromise over thousands WordPress websites before catching Sucuri’s attention. The researchers admitted that the malware remained unnoticeable, and they could only detect its presence by running the server-side scan that looks for any file changes into the environment.
This malware’s dynamic URLs generate random popups and ads for a compromised site’s visitors. However, the malware specifically targets visitors arriving from prominent sites such as Google and Facebook and won’t execute otherwise. That’s how it remained undetected for many site admins who seldom use a search engine to reach their website. Moreover, it ensured displaying the popup only once per visitor.
Due to its stealthy techniques, the Sign1 malware has successfully compromised over 39,000 websites since its beginning. With time, the malware evolved further to enhance its malicious capabilities, with the recent variant targeting over 2500 websites during two months.
To prevent this threat, the researchers advise users to secure their sites’ admin panels and use website firewalls for protection.
A few years ago, back when LG still made phones, the company released one of the most innovative and interesting phones we had seen in that day and age, The LG Wing. This was a phone with a swivel action display that could actually flip 90° into landscape mode, revealing a miniature display underneath. Well, LG wing mini displays are being repurposed into a phone called the Xeta One.
The Xeta One is a phone that’s referred to as a renovation project, so it’s not likely that you will see it hitting the shelves. It’s currently a crowdfunded project, so if you are interested, you can check it out. However, be sure to read the description and the fine print before you send any money.
The Xeta One uses repurposed LG Wing mini displays
The second you look at this phone, it’s obvious what fandom it’s trying to appeal to. If you remember the Blackberry Keyone from back in the day, then it will look familiar. The Xeta One has a relatively small 3.9-inch display that sits atop a physical QWERTY keyboard. We’ve seen several attempts at reviving the physical keyboard in smartphones over the years.
So, where does the LG Wing come into this? Well, the 3.9-inch display on this phone is made from the repurposed mini display on the LG Wing. So, the case, then this phone will have a very nice display, as LG’s phone displays were some of the best on the market.
As for the phone itself, we don’t know too much about it. However, the announcement video shows us a few of the specs. We don’t know exactly what processor it’s using, but it says that it’s using a Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G processor. It will have 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The storage will be expandable up to 2TB. As for the display, since it’s using repurposed LG Wing mini displays, it is a pOLED panel with a resolution of 1080 x 1240. Other than that, this phone will launch with Android 13.
If you’re a Google Messages user with multiple Google accounts linked to your Android phone, you’ve probably experienced how seamless account-switching currently is within the app. However, switching accounts or opting to use Google Messages without a Google account altogether can lead to some unexpected limitations. Google appears ready to address that with a new warning that appears when you want to ditch the Google account login.Google Messages is rolling out a new feature in beta that clearly outlines which features you’ll lose when either signing out of your account or switching to a different Google account within the app. Signing out entirely from your Google account will warn you that you’ll lose access to features like Magic Compose (those helpful AI writing suggestions) and Device Pairing (linking your phone to Chromebooks or other desktop devices for seamless messaging).
If you have Google’s Profile Discovery feature enabled, you’ll be prompted to disable it. This prevents others from seeing your profile picture and name in Google products, but also means people knowing your phone number might not easily connect with you on various Google services.
If you are switching between accounts, you’ll also get a similar warning. Magic Compose and Device Pairing will also become unavailable, as these features are tied to your specific Google account. Both of these warnings were spotted by @Assembledebug from TheSPAndroid during his usual search for new features.
Source: TheSPAndroid
Previously, Google Messages didn’t explicitly display the potential drawbacks of using the app without an associated account. However, adding this notification greatly improves transparency, letting users make informed choices about how they interact with Google Messages as it is not completely necessary to tie the app to a Google account. The feature seems to be rolling out gradually for those on the latest Google Messages beta, which is v.20240321_01_RC00 at this time.
Telegram is a cloud-based messaging platform that sets itself apart by limiting the amount of restrictions on users by a great deal. This lack of security and moderation put the platform in hot water as it was almost suspended in Spain, and it’s unknown if it’s out of it yet.
The Spain High Court ordered the suspension of the popular messaging platform Telegram. However, the court dropped the order shortly after. With the looming ban on TikTok by the US, users wonder which platform will be next to get in legal trouble.
Telegram almost faced a suspension in Spain
Telegram is the fourth most popular app used for messaging in Spain. Despite that, Spaniards almost had access to the application temporarily revoked thanks to an investigation. On Friday, March 22, 2024, The Spain High Court temporarily ordered Telegram to be suspended in Spain. The suspension was due to complaints by media companies such as Atresmedia, EGEDA, Mediaset, and Telefonica.
The mentioned media companies alleged that the chat service allowed users to upload their copyrighted content without permission. As a result, the court ruled to ban the service temporarily. Judge Santiago Pedraz, who issued the order for the temporary ban, did so while an investigation was ongoing to confirm the validity of the claims.
The same judge realized that the ban would undoubtedly affect many citizens. Therefore, while the ban was supposed to take effect the following Monday, it did not get past the weekend. Judge Pedraz halted the order on Monday, February 25, 2024. The court statements had the following to say:
Such extreme measures would “clearly be detrimental to millions of people who use it, the vast majority of whom are not linked to any illegal activity.”
Telegram has yet to respond to the ruling of the High Court and Judge Pedraz, but refusal to cooperate with the ongoing investigation might enact another ruling in Spain. In recent years, copyright infringement claims have been taken more seriously. Telegram’s refusal to remove such content is the root cause of the Spain Court’s controversial decision.
Is Telegram safe now?
Spain is not the only country to have banned the messaging platform. Other countries have banned Telegram in the past for varying reasons. For example, Brazil suspended Telegram for the same reason as Spain. The suspension was temporarily lifted and then reenacted as Telegram refused to change its policy regarding copyright infringement.
Telegram didn’t change anything despite Spain’s close suspension of the platform. Therefore, there’s a chance the Spain High Court might do the same thing Brazil did and reenact the platform’s ban. The future looks gloomy as Telegram is steadfast in its policies despite ending up in hot water multiple times thanks to copyright infringement issues.
Microsoft released an out-of-band update, KB5037422, on March 22, 2024, specifically for Windows Server 2022 (OS Build 20348.2342) to address a critical memory leak issue in the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS).
The leak occurred on domain controllers (DCs) after installing the March 2024 security updates (KB5035857) and impacted both on-premises and cloud-based Active Directory DCs during Kerberos authentication requests.
Excessive memory usage could lead to LSASS crashing and unexpected DC restarts, while the update addresses the LSASS memory leak and improves the overall servicing stack functionality for future Windows updates.
Out-of-band Update
The memory leak vulnerability manifested after installing the KB5035857 update, which was released on March 12, 2024, as the flaw was triggered when DCs processed Kerberos authentication requests, leading to a substantial memory leak.
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Automation to reduce alert fatigue and enhance security posture significantly
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The excessive memory consumption could cause LSASS to crash, resulting in unexpected domain controller reboots, while the update specifically targets and resolves the critical LSASS memory leak issue.
It’s essential to apply this update to DCs, especially those that haven’t yet uninstalled the vulnerable KB5035857 update, to prevent potential crashes and subsequent downtime on your domain network.
Microsoft released a servicing stack update (SSU) for Windows Server 2022, KB5035857 (OS Build 20348.2334), which specifically targets the servicing stack component, a critical system function responsible for the deployment of Windows updates.
Windows Server Racks
By implementing quality improvements to the servicing stack, this SSU enhances its reliability and robustness. Consequently, devices receiving this update will benefit from a more efficient and reliable process for acquiring and installing future Windows updates.
The improvement is particularly significant for maintaining a healthy and up-to-date Windows Server environment, as timely updates are essential for addressing security vulnerabilities, bug fixes, and new feature implementations.
The update delivers the latest cumulative update (LCU) bundled with the latest servicing stack update (SSU) for Windows 10, improving the reliability of the update process.
While Microsoft isn’t aware of any issues, the update isn’t available through Windows Update or Windows Update for Business.
Instead, it needed to download from the Microsoft Update Catalog website or leverage Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) for deployment.
If it is required to remove the LCU after installation, the DISM tool with the LCU package name can be used, but be aware that this won’t remove the SSU.
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Mozilla released version 124.0.1 of the Firefox browser to Release channel users (the default channel that most non-developers run) on March 22, 2024. The new version fixes two critical security vulnerabilities. One of the vulnerabilities affects Firefox on desktop only, and doesn’t affect mobile versions of Firefox.
Windows users that have automatic updates enabled should have the new version available as soon or shortly after they open the browser.
Click the menu button (3 horizontal stripes) at the right side of the Firefox toolbar, go to Help, and select About Firefox. The About Mozilla Firefox window will open.
Firefox will check for updates automatically. If an update is available, it will be downloaded.
You will be prompted when the download is complete, then click Restart to update Firefox.
To change the way in which Firefox installs updates, you can:
Click the menu button (3 horizontal stripes) and select Settings.
In the General panel, go to the Firefox Updates section.
Here you can adjust the settings to your liking.
The vulnerabilities
The vulnerabilities were found during the Pwn2Own Vancouver 2024 hacking competition. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) database lists publicly disclosed computer security flaws. The CVEs patched in this update are:
CVE-2024-29943: an attacker was able to perform an out-of-bounds read or write on a JavaScript object by fooling range-based bounds check elimination. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 124.0.1.
An out-of-bounds read or write can occur when a program has access outside the bounds of an allocated area of memory, potentially leading to a crash or arbitrary code execution or disclosure of information. This can happen when the size of the data is larger than the size of the allocated memory area, when the data is written to an incorrect location within the memory area, or when the program incorrectly calculates the size or location of the data.
CVE-2024-29944: An attacker was able to inject an event handler into a privileged object that would allow arbitrary JavaScript execution in the parent process. Note: This vulnerability affects Desktop Firefox only, it does not affect mobile versions of Firefox. This vulnerability affects Firefox < 124.0.1 and Firefox ESR < 115.9.1.
Firefox ESR (Extended Support Release) is offered for organizations, including schools, universities, businesses, and others who need extended support for mass deployments.
An event handler is a program function that is executed by the application or operating system when an event is executed on the application.
Programming languages are built on the concept of classes and objects to organize programs into simple, reusable pieces of code. A privileged object is a function or piece of code with elevated permissions.
Together, the two vulnerabilities allowed the researcher to achieve a sandbox escape of Firefox. The sandbox is employed to protect against malicious content entering the system through the browser.
We don’t just report on vulnerabilities—we identify them, and prioritize action.
If you use WhatsApp often, then you’ve more than likely had to upload media to send to other people. This is a core part of the WhatsApp experience for some people, and the company has just made it better. WhatsApp will give people the option to choose the quality of the media they upload.
In order to save space, most social media platforms compressed the media that was shared. However, some platforms have the option to send higher-quality media for a better experience. This helps preserve some important information and details in the pictures or videos. Most of the time, it doesn’t really matter, but there are instances when higher-quality pictures come in handy.
WhatsApp is coming with a new media quality feature
WhatsApp hasn’t let users really control the quality of the media they upload. The media was automatically compressed, and there wasn’t really a way to send higher-quality images without having to use other means of sending files. For example, people would have to upload the files to Google Drive and paste the link into the chat. That’s more tedious than just sending a file to people.
Well, thanks to a new report from WABetaInfo, we now know that WhatsApp wants to give users more control over the media that they upload. In the latest version of the Android beta, version 2.24.7.17, we see that WhatsApp is going to allow people to select the quality of the media they want to upload.
In the Storage & Data section of the settings, there will be a new media upload quality section. When you tap on that, you’ll see a little pop-out window appear. The first option is the standard quality option, and this will compress your media as usual. However, the HD quality option will send your media at a higher quality. This will not send it in its original quality, but it states that the quality of the media you upload could be up to six times higher.
It also states something that we all know: standard quality media uploads faster and takes up less space, and higher quality media uploads slower and takes up more space.
This feature is available to some beta testers, and it will start rolling out to more users over the coming days.
The Right to Repair has become a viral subject in the past decade or so, but only recently has it really made some waves. Both Apple and Samsung are making it easier for customers to repair their devices, and States are starting to pass their own laws for the Right to Repair.
It’s really as simple as it sounds, the right to repair anything and everything that you own. This is something that has been primarily an issue in the US and European Union.
In this article, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about Right to Repair, and if it’s something you need to pay attention to.
What is the ‘Right to Repair’?
The Right to Repair basically refers to the concept of allowing users to freely repair the product(s) in case of any type of issue. There are four requirements that are of particular importance:
The device should be constructed and designed in a manner that allows repairs to be made easily
end users and independent repair providers should be able to access original spare parts and tools (software as well as physical tools) needed to repair the device at fair market conditions
repairs should, by design be possible and not hindered by software programming
The manufacturer should clearly communicate the repairability of a device.
Originally, the Right to Repair was driven mostly by the automotive industry. But it has now expanded to basically every industry. A big part of this is due to the tech industry. Especially smartphones. Those screens shatter, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the phone needs to be tossed out, creating e-waste. But getting that screen replaced can cost a few hundred dollars unless you do it yourself. And that’s where the Right to Repair lives.
The main goal of Right to Repair is to favor repair over replacement. As mentioned, replacing something because it has a broken part leads to a lot of e-waste, and the world already has a lot of that.
Brief history of Right to Repair
The Right to Repair is actually not new, not at all. The earliest history starts in the 1920s, which started with automotive companies moving to make it harder to do independent repairs. GM was behind that, with executive Alfred P. Sloan suggesting that continuous changes to its models on a year-over-year basis would fuel demand for customers to replace their vehicles sooner. Ford, on the other hand, preferred a simple and easy way to replace parts.
In the 1950s, many manufacturers started making it harder to get access to parts, not just automotive companies.
However, in the 2000s, things started to heat up with the Right to Repair. In 2001, the Motor Vehicles Right to Repair Act was brought up, but it failed. This was the first of many attempts to establish a Right to Repair for automobiles.
In 2008, the US Supreme Court favors a class action lawsuit challenging carriers’ policies against unlocking phones. In 2012, Massachusetts passed a right to repair act for automobiles. And then in 2014, South Dakota passed a Digital right to repair bill.
Fast-forward to 2019, about 20 states begin to consider the right to repair bill. Those states include California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
Now in 2024, we’re seeing many more States looking at Right to Repair and looking to pass some legislation there as well. So it’s nothing new, but it has become a much bigger deal in recent years compared to the 1920s.
Does my State have an active Right to Repair bill?
They might. If you head to this website, you’ll learn more about the different Right to Repair bills, which states have active bills being considered, which ones had them historically, and which ones never had them.
Currently, these States have active Right to Repair bills:
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
Hawaii
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
You can help get involved and get your Representatives and Congress people to get this bill passed by heading to that site. Just click on your State and you can write to your representatives. You can also call their office and tell them you want this law to pass. Remember, your Representatives and Congress people work for you.
Do people even care about Right to Repair?
Most normal consumers probably don’t care. They aren’t going to replace a battery in their smartphone themselves, which isn’t totally what Right to Repair is. It is also allowing third-party repair shops to fix your products. Instead of having to go directly to Samsung to fix your Galaxy Z Fold 3. You could go to one of those mall kiosks (you know the ones I’m talking about), and get it fixed there, for a much cheaper price. And usually faster to.
Right to Repair is going to allow that mall kiosk to use genuine parts for your Galaxy Z Fold 3 too. So it’ll be fixed like it’s brand new. As well as allowing the person to have instructions on how to do it properly.
Now as you can imagine, that does eat into a company’s sales and profits, especially one like Samsung or Apple – the two biggest smartphone makers in the world.
Companies have fought against it for years
Manufacturers will employ many different tricks to make it nearly impossible to repair your device yourself, should something go wrong. By using proprietary screws, not publishing repair documentation or even gluing parts together.
iFixit has been great at showing us how well some products are to repair and how bad others are. The iPhone typically has some of the worst repairability scores from iFixit. They also sell some great kits to help you repair your devices and also some great repair guides.
Smartphones use a lot of glue internally, and that might not be to keep you from repairing it yourself. But because there’s so many little parts inside and most screws wouldn’t really work that well. But it could also be to fight against the Right to Repair.
Why would anyone be against the Right to Repair?
Companies lobbied against a Right to Repair law in New York state back in 2018, these included Facebook (surprisingly), Toyota and Verizon, among others. An Apple lobbyist in 2017 told a Nebraska Senator that the state would suddenly become a hotspot for bad actors, it if had passed a Right to Repair law.
Some of the main points for opposition to Right to Repair legislation comes from security risks in giving criminals access to technical information, safety risks from unauthorized repair, and risks to intellectual property.
Some of these issues are valid, like the last two. If your laptop got an unauthorized repair and it was not done correctly, that could cause some issues. And since many of these have batteries inside, that could become a hot issue. And the theft of IP or Intellectual Property is a big deal. That’s not something that any company wants to have happen to them. Especially after spending millions and in some cases billions, on R&D for that product.
It’s mostly companies that are against the Right to Repair. And one reason that was not mentioned, is sales. If you’re able to repair your device for a lower cost at another repair shop, you’re less likely to buy a new phone. Which is where companies make the majority of their money.
Colorado has enacted the first ‘Right to Repair’ law, others following suite
Colorado enacted the first Right to Repair law in early June 2022. Governor Jared Polis signed into legislation, a law that would allow wheelchair owners to get access to parts, software and manuals so they can repair their own wheelchairs. This legislation is only for wheelchairs, but it is a step in the right direction.
New York is also about to ratify a Right to Repair bill that would include electronics, making it the first in the country for electronics. The Digital Fair Repair Act, is ready to be signed into law, and it’ll pave the way for citizens in New York State as well as across the country, to repair their own devices.
New York’s bill mandates customer access to two things:
parts from device manufacturers and the ability to hire repair services from whomever they want
manufacturers can charge fees for parts, tools, and perhaps even repair manuals, but they must be provided under “fair and reasonable terms”.
This law does have a few exceptions, though it does cover almost all electronics. The exceptions include medical devices (which another law covers), home appliances, auto parts, and industrial hardware including tractors and all-terrain vehicles.
This is only the beginning and we expect to hear more States starting to adopt their own Right to Repair laws. President Joe Biden is also planning to do an executive order regarding Right to Repair. Though we have very few details on that right now.
Apple & Samsung launching Repair programs
Apple has already launched its own repair program and Samsung is gearing up to launch theirs this summer. It’s been a rocky road so far for Apple however. In November 2021, Apple announced its Self Service Repair program, and it launched in April of 2022.
Apple’s Self Service Repair program
Apple launched its self service repair program in late April of 2022. It was a little odd, as the website that hosts the program looks very outdated, compared to something Apple would launch. But it is legit, and they will sell you parts as well as allow you to borrow the tools needed to do the repairs.
YouTuber iUpdate attempted to repair the screen on his iPhone 12, and you can see the full video below.
Basically, Apple lets you borrow the tools for $49. Which seems reasonable, though the tools are pretty insane. Apple does also place a hold on your credit card for the tools, so that if they don’t get sent back, they charge you the price of them. Some say it’s a $1200 hold. By the end of the video iUpdate comes to the conclusion that it was actually more expensive to do it himself than to take it to the Apple Genius Bar. And I’m sure that was done by design.
Samsung’s Right to Repair service coming this summer
Samsung is launching its own Self-Repair service later this summer, and fingers are crossed that it’s a bit easier than what Apple has done. Samsung says that the program will be available for the Galaxy S0, S21 and Galaxy Tab S7+ family of devices first. Surprisingly, not the new Galaxy S22 models that were announced earlier this year.
Samsung is working with iFixit for this program. As mentioned already, iFixit already has a bunch of teardown and repair guides for Samsung phones, so this is smart. Not to mention, it sells a lot of toolkits too.
Should you care about Right to Repair?
Yes, you should care.
Obviously, not all of us are going to go ahead and repair our own devices by ourself. This is a bit more than you repairing your own device. It’s more of allowing third-party repair shops to get access to authentic parts, and repair guides that will allow the repair shop to do the job correctly.
Instead of having to go to Google, Samsung, or OnePlus to fix your phone, you can just head to a local repair shop and get it done. Or even do it yourself. Right to repair is actually a very big deal.
