Samsung offers in-person service for Galaxy phones in the US

Ask iPhone owners why they remain loyal and they'll likely cite convenient support as one reason: they can walk into an Apple Store and get a prompt fix that's rarely available for other devices. Samsung is taking steps to level the playing field, however. From March 15th onward, you can visit one of 300-plus uBreakiFix service locations in the US and get officially sanctioned in-person repairs on recent high-end Galaxy phones, ranging from the S6 and Note 5 through to the S9 and Note 8. The two companies are promising same-day repairs, often in less than 2 hours for "most" problems.

You can schedule an appointment for convenience's sake, but walk-ins are acceptable if the timing of your breakdown is... less than ideal. The locations will handle both in- and out-of-warranty repairs. And don't despair right away if there's no outlet near you on day one: roughly 200 more uBreakiFix locations should offer Samsung-authorized fixes by early 2019.

This won't help if you're using a budget Samsung phone, and it still means going to a third-party shop. Even so, it's hard to complain too loudly. There are few things more painful in phone ownership than having to mail in your device or put your trust in unofficial repair shops. This guarantees that you can avoid those hassles and spend more time actually using your phone instead of fretting over its fate.