Unlike Apple Watch, Google Will Not Repair Broken Pixel Watches
Google currently offers no official repair procedure for the Pixel Watch, meaning that broken devices simply become e-waste (via The Verge).
This information was recently confirmed by Google spokesperson Bridget Starkey to The Verge. Starkey stated, "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." Google Support chats add that the company "doesn't have any repair centers or service centers" for the Pixel Watch.
The device's lack of repair options stands in contrast to Google's approach with its Pixel phones, where it partners with iFixit to ensure that spare parts and repair guides are accessible for consumers looking to mend their handsets. An independent iFixit guide details how to replace the Pixel Watch screen, proving that it is possible to do so. Yet users who wish to undertake such a repair are faced with the challenge of finding a replacement part. Given the Pixel Watch's limited sales compared to mainstream rivals like the Apple Watch, obtaining damaged "donor hardware" with the required intact part remains a difficult proposition.
By comparison, Apple offers repair solutions for the Apple Watch, albeit at different costs depending on the availability of AppleCare+. For Apple Watch owners without AppleCare+, the company cites a flat $299 estimate for an Apple Watch Series 8 and $499 for an Apple Watch Ultra. With AppleCare+, this drops to $69 for the Apple Watch Series 8 and $79 for the Apple Watch Ultra, not including the cost of AppleCare itself.
The Pixel Watch's screen is particularly vulnerable due to its design, featuring a large glass hemisphere that can easily crack upon impact. Google's hardware warranty does not cover damage resulting from accidents, such as drops or impacts, leaving users without many options other than to simply replace the entire device with a new one. The Pixel Watch 2 is rumored to feature almost exactly the same design.
Popular Stories
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to...
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices. The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media...
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis. When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works...
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery...
Apple is seemingly planning a rework of the Apple Watch lineup for 2024, according to a range of reports from over the past year. Here's everything we know so far. Apple is expected to continue to offer three different Apple Watch models in five casing sizes, but the various display sizes will allegedly grow by up to 12% and the casings will get taller. Based on all of the latest rumors,...
