The Google Pixel Watch stands as one of the premier Android-based smartwatches on the market today. However, despite its impressive design, it comes with a few drawbacks such as a steep price tag and less-than-stellar battery life. Now, another downside has emerged – its lack of repairability.
Numerous Reddit threads (1) (2) and complaints on Google’s support page shed light on the fact that Google does not provide screen replacement services for the Pixel Watch. The Verge even shared a snippet of a conversation between a customer and Google support, where it was confirmed that the company lacks any repair or service centers for the Pixel Watch. Google seems to have covered itself by specifying exceptions on its hardware warranty page.
A spokesperson for the company told The Verge, “At this moment, we don’t have any repair option for the Google Pixel Watch. If your watch is damaged, you can contact the Google Pixel Watch Customer Support Team to check your replacement options.”
This stands in stark contrast to Google’s policy for Pixel smartphones, where customers have been able to obtain replacement parts from iFixit since the previous year. The Pixel Tablet also recently received official replacement parts and a repair guide through iFixit. It’s puzzling that Google hasn’t made replacement parts available for the Pixel Watch, especially considering it has been on the market for almost a year.
In short, if you have a Pixel Watch with a cracked screen, your only recourse is to purchase a new one. However, this approach isn’t environmentally responsible and contradicts Google’s own policies. This revelation comes just as Google prepares to unveil the Pixel Watch 2 next month, although its existence is hardly a secret at this point. With the smartwatch expected to retain a similar design to its predecessor, it will be interesting to see if Google addresses its repairability issues.
Google may be compelled to change its stance due to California’s Senate Bill 244, commonly known as the Right-To-Repair Act. This legislation mandates that electronics manufacturers provide tools, documentation, and software support for devices above a certain price range. For instance, devices costing more than $100 should have replacement parts available for at least seven years, while those valued at $50 or more must offer parts for at least three years. New York and Minnesota are the only other states in the US with similar legislative frameworks in place to promote repairability.
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