Galaxy S25 Ultra Gets Best Repairability Score in a Decade, Galaxy Z Fold 7 May Lose Some S Pen Features

Highlights

• The Galaxy S25 Ultra received the highest repairability score for a Samsung phone in the past decade.
• iFixit teardown lauds improvements like an easily replaceable battery using pull tabs.
• The upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 may lose some S Pen features.
• Samsung focuses on making it the thinnest Fold model yet removing more stylus capabilities.

Samsung didn’t change much in the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s hardware but it seems the improvements turned out to be meaningful. According to the iFixit teardown video of Galaxy S25, the flagship device received the highest repairability score for a Samsung phone in the past 10 years. Here’s a quick rundown of the teardown video.

iFixit Teardown of Galaxy S25

One of the biggest changes observed in the iFixit teardown video of Galaxy S25 is how easy it is to replace the battery. Samsung has added four pull tabs behind the battery making it simple to remove without the need for extra force.

Unlike previous models, the battery is no longer glued to the chassis, which iFixit praised as one of the best decisions Samsung made.

However, the display is still tricky to remove. The iFixit team had to heat the phone to 150°C for three minutes just to soften the adhesive. Even then, the glue remained quite strong. Fortunately, most repairs don’t require removing the display, so unless it’s broken, it’s best left untouched.

Interestingly, iFixit didn’t mention the removable camera rings but reports suggest the lens cover glass can be replaced without removing the back panel.

Check out the full video here –

To remind about iFixit with Samsung gadget teardowns, the Android Central report highlights, “It’s worth noting that iFixit cut ties with Samsung last spring as its repairability goals were misaligned. Much like the Galaxy S25 Ultra, iFixit highlighted how Samsung’s products are “too glued together,” which made it hard for the former to deliver the parts home repair consumers would need without a price spike.”

Overall, it seems the Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with minor improvements in performance, battery life and camera quality over its predecessor. If you already own a recent Galaxy Ultra phone, you might want to wait for next year’s model. Rumours suggest Samsung could switch to Si/C Li-Ion batteries, which offer higher energy density and bigger capacities without adding bulk.

The teardown made an interesting observation about the S25 Ultra’s S Pen. The stylus uses a PCB and has a structure quite similar to its predecessor.

Galaxy Z Fold 7 May Lose Some S Pen Features

Speaking of the S Pen, we are getting reports that suggest the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 might be getting a slimmer design that could come at a cost. Rumours suggest we might be losing the S Pen experience.

A leak from an X tipster suggests that Samsung is considering scaling back the Fold’s stylus capabilities.

The Fold 7 is the slimmest Fold ever, thanks to the S Pen downgrade.

— kro (@kro_roe) February 11, 2025

The Galaxy Z Fold series introduced stylus support with the Z Fold 3 in 2021 but it has always been somewhat limited compared to the S Pen in the Galaxy S Ultra series. For example, the Fold’s S Pen has never had Bluetooth support and now, the Z Fold 7 might take this a step further and remove even more features.

Samsung appears to be focusing on making the Fold 7 the thinnest model yet. According to the leak, the phone will be even slimmer than the Z Fold Special Edition, which measures 4.9mm when unfolded and 10.6mm when folded.

This wouldn’t be the first time Samsung tweaked S Pen functionality to fit a design change. Even the Galaxy S25 Ultra removed Bluetooth support for its S Pen. If the leak is accurate, the Fold 7 may sacrifice stylus features for a sleeker, more compact build.

FAQs

Q1. What is the repairability score of the Galaxy S25 Ultra according to iFixit?

Answer. The Galaxy S25 Ultra received the highest repairability score for a Samsung phone in the past decade.

Q2. What significant change did Samsung make to the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s battery design?

Answer. Samsung added four pull tabs behind the battery, making it simple to remove without the need for extra force. The battery is no longer glued to the chassis.

Q3. What potential changes are rumoured for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 regarding the S Pen?

Answer. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 might lose some S Pen features as Samsung focuses on making it the thinnest model yet. The Fold’s stylus capabilities could be further scaled back.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S25 vs Galaxy S25+ vs Galaxy S25 Ultra: Comparing the New Samsung Flagship Lineup

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