A Singapore man’s Samsung phone developed green lines on the screen after a software update. Seeking a resolution, he approached Samsung’s customer service for a screen replacement. However, his request was met with refusal, and he was told that the repair would cost him more than S$500.
The reason provided by Samsung for denying the free replacement was that the phone had been “tampered with” by the user.
The Green Lines Issue after a Software Update
The man, identified as Mr. Goh, experienced an issue with his Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G after a routine software update. Green lines appeared on the phone’s screen, rendering it unusable and causing significant inconvenience to Mr. Goh.
Concerned about the malfunction, Mr. Goh decided to take his phone to the Samsung Service Centre at Plaza Singapura for repairs on 5 June. However, his attempt to get the screen replaced for free faced an unexpected roadblock.
Upon inspection of the phone at the service center, Mr. Goh was informed that Samsung would not cover the screen replacement under warranty. Additionally, he was shocked to hear that the repair cost would exceed S$500.
Samsung’s explanation for refusing the free repair was that the phone had been “tampered with,” as Goh had taken his phone to a mobile phone repair shop to replace the metal trimming of his phone’s rear camera.
Unconvinced by Samsung’s claim of tampering, Mr. Goh tried to escalate the matter and sought further clarification.
He firmly maintained that the green lines issue was a direct result of a Samsung OS update, not the minor repair he had undertaken earlier.
Despite acknowledging the software update’s role in causing the screen damage, the customer service manager stood by the decision not to replace the screen for free. Even after seeking advice from higher-ups, the stance remained unchanged.
With the green lines persisting on his phone’s screen, Mr. Goh found himself unable to use his device for normal functioning. Frustrated with the situation and the high repair cost, he considered filing a report with CASE (Consumer Association of Singapore).
Instead of taking immediate legal action, Mr. Goh hoped to highlight his predicament as he believed that others might have encountered similar challenges while attempting to repair their Samsung phone.