Nokia makes smartphone which can be repaired by ‘someone with no DIY experience’

The high cost of replacing parts on smartphones made by Apple and Samsung has long been a bugbear for owners keen to make handsets last.

Now rival Nokia has laid down the gauntlet with a smartphone where even ‘someone with no DIY experience’ can replace the screen, charging port and battery.

The G22, which costs £149.99, can have parts replaced with a few basic tools in five minutes, Nokia claims. A replacement battery is £22.99, screen £44.99 and charging port £18.99.

The average cost for an official manufacturer repair to a smartphone screen is £170, according to consumer group Which?. Batteries cost around £43 on average.

Using third-party repairers, which can be cheaper, often invalidates a warranty.

The G22, which costs £149.99, can have parts replaced with a few basic tools in five minutes, Nokia claims. A replacement battery is £22.99, screen £44.99 and charging port £18.99

Nokia’s warranty, which typically lasts three years, is not affected if an owner does the repair themselves.

As well as keeping costs down, Nokia says the policy cuts down on handsets being sent to landfill.

Adam Ferguson, head of product marketing at HMD Global: ‘Even someone like me can quickly change parts. You don’t need any DIY experience.

‘The G22 has been purposefully built with a repairable design so you can keep it even longer.’

Phones have become harder and harder to repair as makers cram in more components, which are then glued, soldered or screwed together to stop them from moving around.

In the past, there was more space inside, making it easier to get at things. Plus the back covers, before phones became water and dustproof, could be simply popped off.

This meant that batteries, in particular, could be simply replaced.

Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, said: ‘As consumers increasingly want more sustainable and longer-lasting devices, the ability to repair smartphones easily and affordably will become a key selling point.

‘Our research reflects this – approximately half of mobile phone users say they would like to be able to have their device repaired at a reasonable cost if they break outside of the warranty period.’

Nokia has teamed up with repairs specialist iFixit who will stock the parts. They will also do the repairs too – but for an extra cost.

At home ‘fit kits’ with all the tools cost £5, or Nokia say most people will have the gear – a small screwdriver, a sim tray pin and a guitar pick or similar item – at home.

The G22, out on March 8, is an entry-level smartphone costing £149.99. It has a respectable 6.5-inch screen, three-day battery life and a 50MP camera.

Nokia was once the biggest phone maker in the world, selling two in every five – before Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s handsets took over.

It was left behind after being slow to adopt touchscreen displays.

These days, Nokia phones are made by a firm called HMD Global under license.