Report Ranks Apple iPhones Least Repairable Smartphones

A new report from the US Public Interest Research Group Education Fund has ranked Apple's iPhones as the least repairable smartphones among major brands, with Samsung's Galaxy devices close behind, highlighting ongoing challenges in device durability and consumer repair access.

The "Failing the Fix 2026" study, released this week, evaluated repairability for 105 devices across smartphones and laptops using data from the European Union's Product Registry for Energy Labeling system. This marks the first time the report has adopted the EU's methodology, which emphasizes real-world repair factors such as disassembly effort, tool requirements, spare parts availability, repair documentation, and software support duration. Unlike previous assessments based on France's older index, the EU approach assigns greater weight to the number of steps needed to access components, exposing complexities in popular models that increase repair times and costs.

For smartphones, Motorola led with a B grade, reflecting easier access to batteries and key parts using standard tools. Google's Pixel lineup followed with a C, benefiting from fewer barriers during common fixes. Samsung earned a D, while...