LONDONERS WILL SOON have a new spot to take their busted cell phones and glitchy gadgets, with a new uBreakiFix franchise location opening in Hyde Park at 1422 Fanshawe Park Road.
Launched in 2009 out of Orlando, uBreakiFix specializes in speedy walk-in repairs on cell phones and other electronics. It’s also good news if you own a Google Pixel or Samsung smartphone, companies for which uBreakiFix is the official walk-in repair partner.
Story Continues Below
Per company lore, the brand was founded when co-founder Justin Wetherill busted his own smartphone and needed a quick, affordable repair. Thus the company’s target niche: most basic repairs handled by uBreakiFix are turned around in two hours or less; since 2009, the company says it has fixed more than 14 million devices. (They’ll also run a free diagnostics check on the broken device, and promise to beat any competitors’ price by five bucks.)
The new location will be the first uBreakiFix location in London, with around 30 other locations in Ontario — most of them clustered in the GTA. There’s no timeline, however, for when the London location will open — “we are currently solidifying the open date,” says company press contact, Natalie Chapo, in an email.
Story Continues Below
uBreakiFix has grown quickly over recent years, and now have 780 locations across Canada and the U.S. ― most of them franchise locations. After landing the Google repair partnership in 2016, and the Samsung partnership in 2018, uBreakiFix was bought by the insurance giant Asurion. Last month, it was announced that all U.S. locations would be rebranded under the Asurion name.
All in all, it’s good news for those who would rather repair their devices than fork over a thousand bucks for a new one. Repairs still tend to be expensive and cumbersome, as the OEMs tend to restrict access to parts and tools. This is, to be sure, unpopular with consumers, and a large reason why breaking your cell phone leads you and your wallet into a world of headaches.
Story Continues Below
In May 2019, 75 per cent of Canadians polled supported right-to-repair legislation, which would require manufacturers to make available to stores like uBreakiFix the proper parts and tools to complete the repairs. (Such a bill was voted down in Ontario in 2019, with the government suggesting it didn’t follow the principles of “open for business.”)
Recasting the role she plays, Lerners LLP veteran Alysia Christiaen aims to make business development and culture a more strategic…
Firmly established in the London market, Medpoint Health Care Centre takes its unique brand of executive healthcare to the GTA
Who is using AI in Canada? Just about everybody. Who sees a return? Just about nobody
Price check: A sampling of high- and low-priced real estate listings around town this week
A summary of recent commercial real estate activity in London
100 The Promenade: $679,900 for a spacious new penthouse condo in the heart of Port Stanley’s new Kokomo Beach Club…