I purchased a Samsung Galaxy Flip 3 in October 2021 and was very pleased with it. I traded it in in December 2023 for a Flip 5. A week ago (July 18, 2025), my Flip 5 phone stopped working. It appeared to me that the phone was still functioning, but the main screen had broken down without any apparent physical damage. I went to the Samsung website looking for answers, but to no avail because it kept sending me an authorized code to my broken phone. I went to the nearest Samsung authorized service center named “uBreakiFix” on 2014 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95050. A worker at the shop confirmed that the Flip 5 main screens broke down. He mentioned that it’s a common problem. The cost to replace the screen is $488.00 before tax, and the repair can be completed within 2 hours because the parts are in high demand and are readily available in stock. I was thinking about trading my phone in for a Flip 7, but I wasn’t sure how to transfer the data when I cannot use the screen. He told me they can do it, but the fee would be $130.00. A worker at T-Mobile told me to go to “Geek Squad” in Best Buy for help. They were able to help me transfer the data into a new phone for less than $50.00. Besides the poor service offered by a “Samsung authorized Repair Center”, I now have a 14-month-old Flip 5 phone that is worthless for trade-in because, technically, it doesn’t work. I am incredibly disappointed with the quality of my Flip 5 phone and the way Samsung does not take any responsibility for a bad product.
Why do you think that Samsung is responsible for the pricing at their authorized service centers? They only certify and designate them as authorized, but they are independent shops. While you were at Geek Squad, you should have asked them the cost to repair the screen. After your warranty expires, you no longer have to use authorized Samsung servicers. The authorized designation only means that they were trained and certified by Samsung and they have priority access to genuine OEM part and are authorized to do warranty repairs.
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Why do you think that Samsung is responsible for the pricing at their authorized service centers? They only certify and designate them as authorized, but they are independent shops. While you were at Geek Squad, you should have asked them the cost to repair the screen. After your warranty expires, you no longer have to use authorized Samsung servicers. The authorized designation only means that they were trained and certified by Samsung and they have priority access to genuine OEM part and are authorized to do warranty repairs.
------------------------------------------------------------- Please mark any response that helped you as your solution. -------------------------------------------------------------
Unfortunately, it seems you have discovered the near-necessity of purchasing Care+ if you are going to daily drive a foldable. These are bleeding-edge devices that have not yet reached their ideal form factor, are by nature less durable than traditional slab phones.
Had you purchased Care+, though you would have had to pay monthly, you could have filed a claim and received a much cheaper repair.
