Nokia’s turn towards sustainability reaches a new milestone with the recent Nokia G22: the brand claims that the phone it can be disassembled by anyone to change the main parts, including the battery. And it was necessary to verify it: there I went with the screwdrivers.
Disassembling a smartphone is not exactly easy, at least in theory: freeing each of the layers involves specialized skill, knowledge and tools. And I say in theory because everything can be much simpler, brands like FairPhone They show that you can build a phone making it easily repairable. Nokia takes good note with its recent Nokia G22.
Not only easy to repair, but also fun
Nokia G22 in disassembly
Taking advantage of the fact that Nokia had a stand at MWC 2023, and that it had an iFixit team to demonstrate the new step towards sustainability, I had to get closer to see the entire process in first person. And not only did I see it, they also invited me to participate in the disassembly of a Nokia G22 to change the battery, mount it again and check if the mobile had not broken during the process.
It went well, I didn’t have to pay for it.
The Nokia G22 is a mid-range mobile made of plastic that has a pleasant, soft-touch exterior that does not suggest that it can be disassembled by anyone in less than five minutes. It does not have visible screws, it does not have more holes than the usual ones, nor does it have tabs that anticipate a simple repair. But it is, I was able to verify it.
Armed with an iFixit toolkit consisting of plastic picks, metal punches, and Phillips screwdrivers, I began removing the back cover by prying the already-removed SIM tray area with a pick and then displacing the tool. plastic along the entire rear contour, get the mobile casing to jump without difficulty. Said cover was attached to the plate by a much longer than usual flexible cable to prevent the user from breaking it during disassembly. Obviously, you have to be careful, but everything seemed to me designed to the tenth of a millimeter to facilitate the task without damaging the components. iFixit and Nokia offer a step by step disassembly guide, also tools and spare parts.
iFixit Tool Kit and Parts
The battery change process did not take even five minutes:
- After removing the casing, and disconnecting the flex from the fingerprint reader by removing one screw, I removed another screw to free up the space where the battery flex cable is hooked.
- I released the hook of the flex levering with the punch.
- I pulled the tab on the battery until it was removed. This point was not difficult for me because the test Nokia G22 had already been disassembled several times: the iFixit specialist told me that you have to do some strength on a regular basis.
- I placed the new battery and hooked its flex on the plate.
- I screwed the fastening, put the fingerprint reader cable (the one that is attached to the casing) and tightened its respective screw.
- I put the cover on, pushed until it clicked into the phone and put the SIM tray in. Ready.
I have repaired numerous phones throughout my life, I have also broken a few during the process. And he had never seen such simplicity when it comes to facilitating repairs: really anyone can do it. Neither suction cups nor hot air guns nor fights with the adhesives that are always halfway unstuck: the Nokia G22 offers no difficulties. And it maintains IP52 splash protection, which is not bad at all.
In hardware it’s pretty fair, not everything is pretty. In return, offers sustainable components and extreme ease of repair: Whoever values this last aspect will find the Nokia G22 more attractive. I enjoyed changing the battery.