Taking your smartphone to a repair or service center can be difficult, especially if the user’s personal information is still on it. Samsung has added an intriguing new feature to its devices called Repair Mode in an effort to simplify things for owners of its Galaxy smartphones. Simply put, a service professional in a repair center cannot access a user’s personal data in repair mode. According to Samsung, the Galaxy S21 series will be the first to receive the functionality. When a user visits one of Samsung’s service centers, the company says it accomplishes this by granting limited access and protecting the smartphone from data theft.
According to a SamMobile report, once activated, repair mode will prompt the user to choose what types of data they want to divulge before taking their phone in for repair. After activation, the customer service representative will only have access to the default apps and not to personal information. After selecting the option in Settings > Battery & Device Maintenance, the phone will reboot and enter the new repair mode, making personal data inaccessible. The user must reboot the phone when the service is complete to exit repair mode and authenticate using their fingerprint or pattern recognition.
Samsung Galaxy S21 series of smartphones will first receive the new repair mode in Korea before being added to more future models of the company’s handsets. Samsung will also roll out the new Repair Mode feature in additional locations. What needs to be determined are further details about the types of services or repairs that repair mode allows, as well as whether it supports replacement of fundamental components. Before submitting the device for such repairs, the customer is usually required to back up personal data and then completely erase the data. On August 10, during the Unpacked presentation, Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy Watch, Buds Pro 3, Galaxy Fold 4 and Galaxy Flip 4 gadgets. The foldables are expected to feature more significant internal hardware improvements than minor cosmetic ones.
