Samsung’s latest Galaxy S26 Ultra already hit the hands of reviewers and early customers, and we handed the smartphone a 4/5 review score ourselves. We’ve learned a lot about the new flagship already, but one long-term question we still have is how the hardware will hold up over time (and how easy it’ll be to fix if it breaks). The brand’s excellent seven-year Android OS upgrade promise is sure to hold strong, and the hardware needs to be both durable and repairable enough to keep up.
iFixit shed some light on the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s repairability with their official teardown video, published on YouTube today. The teardown, which ends in a repairability score, was a mixed bag. There were some notable wins for Samsung, and Galaxy S26 Ultra buyers, plus a few perplexing decisions. In all, the Galaxy S26 Ultra still lags behind Apple and Google flagships in terms of repairability.
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The easy-to-replace battery and USB-C highlights are wins
(Image credit: iFixit)
Battery repairs are the most important for any rechargeable device. Batteries are consumable components that degrade over time, so if you use a phone long enough, it will eventually need a battery replacement. That’s why, if there’s one smartphone repair that should be easy, it’s the battery. iFixit found that the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s battery is surprisingly simple to swap after removing the phone’s back panel and getting the lower speaker assembly out of the way.
Freeing the speaker reveals the cables needed to disconnect the battery. After that’s done, the Galaxy S26 Ultra battery replacement process appears to be seamless. iFixit praised the battery release mechanism used here, which features a plastic embrace lined with glue. When removing the battery and plastic pull tab, the glue easily peels away.
Galaxy S26 Ultra Teardown: Amazing… Until It Breaks – YouTube
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The USB-C port was similarly easy to disassemble, and that’s ideal because it is another component that is subjected to constant wear over time. iFixit discovered the port is modular, just like on other recent Galaxy phones, making for an easy swap.
The screen and other complex parts aren’t as exciting
(Image credit: iFixit)
The teardown process got tricky when the iFixit team tried to remove the display. For starters, the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s selfie camera is heavily glued to the display assembly, making removal difficult. After moving to the screen itself, iFixit used extremely high heat and a suction cup to try and dislodge the display.
The screen itself ended up separating due to the force before it could be removed, highlighting the finicky repair process that will be difficult for even seasoned techs to pull off. Even after the screen separated, iFixit still needed a heat gun and lots of elbow grease to free it from the chassis.
Due to the complexity of Galaxy S26 Ultra selfie camera and screen replacements, it’s not a simple repair. The phone only opens one way, so the repairer must remove the back panel and work their way towards the screen to replace it. As such, people in need of a full screen or selfie camera replacement might not think the repair process or cost is worth the hassle.
Samsung is falling behind Apple and Google in repairability
(Image credit: iFixit)
Finally, for the score. iFixit gave the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra a 5/10 score on its smartphone repairability score, and the smartphone loses to recent Apple and Google launches. The Google Pixel 10 earned a 6/10 score, while the iPhone 17 earned a 7/10 score. iFixit’s team cited the screen removal process and the lack of reliable parts and repair manuals as a few reasons why Samsung isn’t up to par.
iFixit cites the difficulty of finding repair parts on Samsung’s official store, which often features cryptic model numbers without descriptive text or imagery. By comparison, Apple’s self-service repair store makes it easy to find parts, rent tools, and access official repair manuals. Google partnered with iFixit itself to sell official Pixel parts and create repair guides. For all that has been said about Apple or Google’s repairability woes in the past, both companies have taken strong steps in recent years.
So, where’s Samsung in all of this? For now, just sitting on the sidelines. While it continues to innovate in other ways, like the Flex Magic Pixel OLED powering the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Privacy Display, it just isn’t doing so on the repairability front. Based on the results of iFixit’s teardown, I think we can expect more from a $1,300 flagship.
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The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will be covered with seven years of full Android OS support, but will the hardware last that long? iFixit’s teardown is good news on the battery front, although everything else seems to be up in the air.
