The HTC One (M8) has turned ou to be a solid device in both software and hardware. However, you may want to be careful with it and refrain from breaking your handset because just like the first HTC One, the M8 won't be easy to repair by yourself.
To make things easier, one should bring a broken HTC One (M8) to a certified technician to get it fixed, as attempting to do it by your lonesome self could further damage the device beyond repair. It's never a good thing to have a wonderful handset that is difficult to repair, and this is a trend that seems to be growing at a rapid pace with modern smartphones.
When it comes down to simple tasks such replacing a battery, the HTC One (M8) has made that increasingly difficult. For some odd reason, the company chose to place the built-in battery below the motherboard. This means, if you are interested in replacing a faulty battery, you will have no choice but to meddle with the motherboard.
"The battery is buried beneath the motherboard and adhered to the midframe, hindering its replacement. The display assembly cannot be replaced without tunneling through the entire phone. This makes one of most common repairs, a damaged screen, very difficult to accomplish," according to iFixit during their rundown of the HTC One (M8). "Copious amounts of tape, adhesive and copper shielding make many components difficult to remove and replace."
Because of how difficult it is to remove and replace components, we expect technicians to charge a high fee for repairs, something that might turn off some users from repairing their device, or even purchasing an HTC One (M8) in the first place.
Smartphone manufacturers need to do better when it comes down to designing a device for easy repair. They need to bear in mind that things happen; things break, and some users will want to repair their handset without going through utter pain and frustration.
If it means anything, HTC will be offering consumers a free screen replacement, but it is only valid if a user's HTC One (M8) display breaks in the first six months of ownership.
