Here’s how hard it was to replace
I loved my book-style foldable phone from the moment I bought it, and despite initial concerns, it turned out to be a sturdy and durable device. Then one of my fears came true: the interior screen protector that Samsung had advised me not to replace started to peel off. First it bubbled a little, then a lot.
Foldable phones come with a thin screen protector pre-installed
Unlike conventional screens, this one is considered part of the display.
The outer screen of my phone is glass, just like any other phone. It’s Gorilla Glass Armor, which means I can expose it to all sorts of abuse and expect it to come away scratch-free. I opted to put on a thin screen protector regardless, based on my experience of seeing durable screens eventually get scratched over time. After all, I prefer to use my phone naked.
The interior screen is another story. It’s made of a flexible material that’s not designed to withstand such punishment. An ultra-thin screen protector, flexible enough to bend with the equally ultra-thin screen, is already installed. Foldable screens are vulnerable enough that all companies making foldable screens, not just Samsung, are advising people not to replace the inner screen protector. I have a book style Galaxy Z Fold 6, but the story is the same if you have a flip style Moto RAZR.
To be clear, it is entirely possible to replace the screen protector yourself. I already did this when I replaced the screen protector on my old foldable with a matte one. It was heartbreaking, but nothing bad happened.
This time around, I didn’t want to take such a risk when all I wanted was another version of the factory screen protector. The one I had started peeling just at the bottom of the fold. This unsightly stain remained largely the same for weeks. I tried to push it down, but it immediately reappeared. Then one day the air bubble started to rise up to the crease. How long will it be before the screen protector itself becomes a potential source of damage?
I didn’t know how much a replacement would cost.
Or if this would be covered by Samsung Care
When I dive into my phone’s settings, it says my device is protected by Samsung Care. I didn’t buy this protection – I apparently inherited it when I bought my phone second hand. Unfortunately, trying to confirm this has been an absolute disaster. I can log into my online account and see my phone, but when I try to file a claim, no trace of my phone exists. When I called the helpline, I received an AI system that did not detect an account associated with my phone number, offered me no other verification option, and immediately hung up. Life is too short to deal with automated voice response systems, especially our modern, less predictable systems, so I gave up trying to figure out where Samsung was confused in the system. If this were a real screen replacement, that would be a different story.
Samsung says an authorized repair shop can replace screen protectors on foldable phones for $20. Not a bad deal, considering I’ve spent so much money in the past buying a screen protector to apply myself. After botching the first attempt, as I tend to do, I walk away with just one screen protector for the money anyway. Better to save myself the time and stress by letting someone else take care of it.
The question was: Would a repair shop actually do the work for $20, or would they charge extra? I looked up my local UBreakIFix, called them and got a real person on the line, who then quickly confirmed that they had screen protectors for my phone in stock and that it would only cost me $20. Awesome. Appointment set.
Would the store do a good job replacing my screen protector?
I’m not the only one who can damage my screen
My phone is vital to me. I don’t mean this in the usual way that many of us are dependent or addicted to our phones. My phone is my main work computer. Now that I’ve purchased a smart monitor, I’ve started using Samsung DeX again, but for months I did all my work on my phone’s internal screen. Even now, I still go back and forth. I’m writing these words while swiping my virtual keyboard with an S Pen, which is the kind of workflow that a peeling screen protector interrupts. My stylus is thrown by impacts and is no longer detected.
I jumped in my car, arrived at the store and handed over my phone. Then I gave them the number of a review phone I had on hand (the Google Pixel 10a), left the store, and waited. Less than an hour later they called me to come back. My phone was ready and I was happy to see that it was as good as new.
Then I happily paid the agreed upon $20. If at this point you’re thinking this is a sponsored post, I don’t blame you, but it’s not. I’m just happy to get my phone back and want other people who own or are considering a foldable to know how this story turned out.
Not as bad as I expected
A few weeks there, I started to sour on foldable phones. Maybe they’re too high maintenance after all. But now that my phone is back to looking almost new, it’s once again hard to imagine going back. If the screen protector starts giving me problems again after a year, I now know exactly where to go.
