What you need to know
- A report following a Climate Week NYC panel details a Google representative's words about bringing repairability to the Pixel Watch.
- Their statement noted how Google is "thinking about" repairability for the Pixel Watch, but said there are several elements it must review.
- Google recently confirmed that Pixel Watch 3 owners cannot get it repaired, leaving replacement as their only option when contacting support.
Google might walk back its previous choice by sticking with its non-repair plan for the Pixel Watch.
Google's Pixel Watches are complex, delicate devices considering that domed glass. However, Wired heard from a Google representative that the company might rework the intricate design to bring repairability to consumers (via 9to5Google). Word was heard during a Climate Week NYC panel in which Google's manager of Government Affairs and Public Policy, Nicole Azores eluded toward the potential change.
During the panel, Azores stated, "we’re thinking about repairability on a broader scale, not just on phones and tablets, and we want to make sure that all of our products eventually become repairable."
Unfortunately, Azores (still) didn't have an official timeframe of when consumers can expect a more repairable Pixel Watch from Google. As Wired noted, products such as smartwatches can sit in development for up to four years. So, it's difficult to say which product in the series could see better repairability.
There appears to be more that Google is grappling with. Azores added that watches are still fairly "nascent" and "new," saying, "there are some design elements that need to be considered on how we make them repairable." The glass-dome could be one such element to consider and, perhaps, the rotating crown.
But with only speculation, we'll have to wait and see.
Let's not get things twisted: Google's Pixel Watches haven't been repairable since the start. If users were sitting with a damaged device, specifically its display, Google informed users that it wouldn't fix it. Instead, folks were told to contact support and they would go through any available replacement options.
That same sentiment was echoed in August when a report surfaced about Google confirming that it wouldn't repair a damaged Pixel Watch 3. Contacting support is your only option; however, Google also ushered consumer attention toward the Preferred Care insurance plan to cover your damages.
Despite that, Google will still charge you a $49 service fee with the plan which covers out-of-warranty damages.
Hopefully, we're looking at a future Pixel Watch that consumers can send in (or take in) for repair without receiving an entirely new device. One thing that would likely need to change is the nightmarish repairability circumstances within the watch. A teardown video of the original Pixel Watch by iFixit showed the hellish hoops one would go through to fix a simple part.
Stronger than ever
Google's Pixel Watch 3 arrives in two sizes, giving consumers even more choice over the latest edition. The device is a leap over the Pixel Watch 2 as users are greeted with a faster, smoother wrist-bound buddy with a few features runner might like. Additionally, the newest Wear OS software makes the Pixel Watch 3 all the better.
