Owners of Google’s first Pixel-branded wearable should exercise caution while handling their timepieces before the release of the Pixel Watch 2 since Google’s actions regarding the repair policy and replacement parts for the Watch are under scrutiny.
The newest Pixel phones have spare parts accessible thanks to Google’s collaboration with iFixit, which not only acts as a reliable source for customers to obtain components but also offers the media and repair instructions they need to fix their phones.
The Pixel Watch is not a Pixel Phone:
So what happens if you do damage Google’s wearable’s largest screen, which is its most vulnerable component? There is no official repair path, and accidental damage shock from drops or collisions is not covered by the limited warranty.
Google spokesperson Bridget Starkey said in a statement to The Verge “At this time, we don’t have any repair options for the Google Pixel Watch. You can check your replacement options if your watch is damaged by contacting the Google Pixel Watch Customer Support Team.
Naturally, the website separately created an iFixit tutorial for changing a Pixel Watch’s screen. However, without simple access to a new screen, it is more of a theoretical exercise than a viable one. Since there are tens of millions of iPhone screens available, purchasing damaged “donor hardware” may be a possibility for an iPhone screen. However, due to the Pixel Watch’s smaller sales, broken hardware with your necessary part intact may be harder to find and almost as expensive as purchasing a new device.
Additionally, “Right to Repair” regulations are intended to lessen this scenario. The Right to Repair bill in California, which has now been approved by both chambers of the legislature and is awaiting final approval from Governor Gavin Newsom, goes far further in requiring access to components and information.
As Kevin Purdy puts it:
“California now mandates that vendors offer such goods for products sold after July 1, 2021, commencing in July 2024, rather than restricting its requirement that firms provide parts, tools, service manuals, and essential software for devices that are still actively marketed. Products $50 to $99.99 need to be accompanied by those goods for three years, while products $100 and more need to be accompanied by those items for seven years.
Of certainly, it will happen in the future. Owners of the Pixel Watch will need to maintain their wearable for the time being.
It would be fascinating to see whether Google discusses this when it introduces the Pixel Watch 2 at its “Made By Google” presentation next month.
If the screen on your Pixel Watch breaks, don’t count on Google to provide an official repair.
Several Pixel Watch customers have expressed their dissatisfaction with the difficulty of replacing damaged displays on Reddit and Google support forums, according to a report. The Verge has also examined a reader’s official Google support conversation from after they dropped their Pixel Watch and damaged the display. It says that Google “doesn’t have any repair centers or service centers” for the gadget, according to a support agent. “At this time, there is no way to repair the Google Pixel Watch. According to Google spokesperson Bridget Starkey, you may get in touch with the Google Pixel Watch Customer Support Team to inquire about replacement alternatives if your watch is damaged.
California has adopted a new right-to-repair law:
- Google has revealed there are now no repair alternatives available if the screen of your Pixel Watch cracks, just as California adopts a new right-to-repair law.
- It seems unlikely that Google would offer an official repair of the Pixel Watch if the screen is cracked.
- On Reddit and Google support forums, several Pixel Watch customers have aired their annoyance about the inability to fix damaged displays. The Verge has also examined a reader’s official Google support conversation from after they dropped their Pixel Watch and damaged the display. It says that Google “doesn’t have any repair centers or service centers” for the gadget, according to a support agent.
According to Google spokesperson Bridget Starkey, you may get in touch with the Google Pixel Watch Customer Support Team to inquire about replacement alternatives if your watch is damaged.
Starkey also sent me to Google’s warranty policy for hardware, which reads as follows:
- This Limited Warranty does not cover harm brought on by
- Ordinary wear and tear;Â
- Accidents
- Misuse (including failing to follow product documentation);Â
- Neglect;
- Disassembly;Â
- Alterations;Â
- Work performed by individuals other than Google-authorized technicians; and
- Outside factors, include, but are not limited to liquid damage, contact with sharp objects, excessive force, irregularities in the electrical current supplied to the Google product, and extreme temperatures.
There is no option for an extended warranty to go with a Pixel Watch, according to Google’s Store, so users are left to handle damage brought on by drops or unintentional hits. That’s it if you unintentionally damage your Pixel Watch.
Although a repair is theoretically feasible, this is the case. The Pixel Watch offers potential for future repairability, according to iFixit, even though the screen is difficult to access.
Comprehensive instructions:
The website also includes comprehensive instructions for changing a cracked, damaged, or dead screen. But it’s not apparent where the typical user would look for a new part, especially because Google doesn’t provide choices for fixing the gadget. Purchasing an undamaged Pixel Watch off of eBay has been suggested in a comment on the iFixit tutorial, although that only looks to be somewhat less expensive (and maybe more wasteful) than purchasing a used or new Pixel Watch replacement.
This is concerning since the Pixel Watch has a glass display that is domed in a circle. Although it has a beautiful design, if you’re not careful, it can be easily cracked. Chris Welch, one of my colleagues, shattered his during our evaluation time last year, even though he hadn’t done anything unusual or beaten the gadget up against anything hard. Despite dropping by several times, I have not seen a crack; nonetheless, our different experiences are more likely the result of chance than anything else.
Not just Google is to blame for making smartwatch repairs challenging. Apple Watch repairs have typically been pricey and challenging. For instance, Apple quotes a flat estimate of $299 for a Series 8 and $499 for an Apple Watch Ultra without AppleCare Plus. Without accounting for the cost of AppleCare, the price reduces to $69 for the Series 8 and $79 for the Ultra with AppleCare Plus. Even while purchasing a new Apple Watch could wind up being more economical in the long run, at least you can take your broken Apple Watch in for repair.
This isn’t fantastic because Google is said to be releasing the Pixel Watch 2 in October with what seems to be a very similar design. The good news is that Google might not have much of a say in whether or not this practice continues. California enacted a right-to-repair law earlier this week, requiring businesses to provide new parts for gadgets for three years if they cost $50 or more and seven years for items costing $100 or more.
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