iPhones are the least repairable smartphones you can buy

The recent report “Failing the Fix 2026“, drafted by the Education Fund of the Public Interest Research Group American organization, also known as PIRG, provides a detailed picture of how easy or difficult it is to repair the smartphones offered by the leading tech brands present in the States.

The final results of this survey leave little room for interpretation, placing Apple at the bottom of the ranking with regards to its iPhone.

Google beats its direct competitors, Pixel more repairable than iPhone and Galaxy

The evaluation system adopted by the study assigns a score ranging from the letter A, indicating maximum excellence, to the letter E.

Based on the data collected for the current year, Motorola stands out as the most repair-friendly smartphone brand, achieving a laudable score B+.

Far behind are the devices in the Pixel line from Google, which reach a rather slim passing grade obtaining a C-. The tail positions are clearly occupied by the two giants of the sector: Samsung devices place second to last with a modest D, while Apple’s iPhone closes the ranking with a clear D-.

This stringent evaluation highlights the notable practical difficulties that a private user, or an independent technician, must face to restore proper functioning of the California company’s smartphones.

The weight of the evaluation criteria

The methodology used by PIRG to compile these rankings crosses multiple sources of institutional and independent data. The foundations of the score largely derive from the EPREL European registry, acronym for European Product Registry for Energy Labeling, whose information has been combined with the PIRG’s own market data in the United States.

The parameters examined include a wide range of factors related to hardware architecture. Among these are the number of physical steps required to replace the single defective component, the potential obligation to use proprietary tools to open the protective shells, and the actual availability of original spare parts on the open market.

The study also carefully assesses the transparency and accessibility of technical documentation for repairs, together with the duration of the software support formally guaranteed by the manufacturer.

Less AI, more repairability

Commenting on these disappointing overall results, Nathan Proctor, senior campaign director for the PIRG’s Right to Repair initiative, took a firm stance on current industry dynamics.

In an interview with Wired he highlighted how the introduction of adequate legislative incentives could finally push big tech companies to invest in innovations truly useful for consumers.

According to Proctor, instead of continually inventing new ways to impose AI-powered features at all costs, manufacturers should commit their vast resources to creating devices built to last over time and that people can repair with ease.