While Android flagships such as the HTC One M9 and the Samsung Galaxy S6 may have failed miserably for repairability under iFixit's watchful eye, the LG G4 has passed the test with flying colors.
iFixit's latest teardown of the LG G4 reveals that the flagship Android smartphone from the South Korean company is easy to repair. The LG G4 scored 8 out 10 in the repairability stakes compared to a measly 2 on 10 and 4 on 10 given to the HTC One M9 and Samsung Galaxy S6, respectively.
The teardown of the LG G4 from the folks at iFixit reveals that the smartphone has components that are pretty easy to replace. One reason why the LG G4 scored highly in terms of repairability was owing to the ease with which its 3000mAh battery can be accessed. The LG G4's removable back opens easily without any fuss, which is another brownie point winner.
Moreover, with more and more OEMs opting for a non-removable battery for smartphones - just as Samsung did with the Galaxy S6 - LG's decision to stick to a removable battery is a plus. One can simply slide out the battery and replace it with another in the event where there is an issue or the battery dies. The plastic rear panel also pops open with barely any effort
"It warms our hearts (and, pleasantly, not our iOpeners) to see such a simple opening procedure-especially compared to the adhesive-laden opening numbers in many phones," notes iFixit.
iFixit revealed that it did not require any tools to pry open the LG G4 until they reached the device's mid frame. Post this, the team had to peruse a Phillips screwdriver and a spudger to yank open the LG G4's mother board where they spotted the hexa-core Snapdragon 808 processor (clocked at 1.8GHz), 3GB of RAM, as well as 32GB of flash memory. The 8MP selfie-cam also came out easily.
The only difficulty the iFixit folks faced was in opening the 16MP rear-facing camera. This too was due to the intricacies of the OIS. iFixit also surveyed the camera under X-ray.
"The complexity of the rear-facing camera and its image stabilization is even more apparent under X-ray. That frame! Those chips!" reveals iFixit.
However, the team managed to open the same without much fuss. The headphone jack of the smartphone was also easily removable and replaceable since it uses springs and is not soldered.
The only downer in terms of repairability for the LG G4 is its display where the LCD and glass are fused together. This means that if either one breaks, users will have to replace both.
Since the device has plenty of components that are modular, replacing them individually is not an issue. Moreover the standard Phillips #0 screws deployed implies that one can find drivers easily.
iFixit surmises that the LG G4 is "a great showcase for slim luxury and repair friendliness."
