The search giant announced that Google had become the most delinquent manufacturer to partner with DIY repair experts iFixit to offer spare parts for its devices.
It’s a bargain that should make it far more comfortable for the average customer to get parts to repair their Pixel smartphone if it breaks.
Components like batteries, displays, and cameras will be available in the US, Australia, the UK, Canada, and other European nations where the phones are marketed. Parts will be open to accepting “later this year,” Google says.
Spare parts will be open for an impressive range of Pixel phones, including the latest Pixel 6 devices and 2017’s Pixel 2. That means details should be available for the kinds of aging phones people might want to repair this year.
In contrast, at launch, Samsung’s equal partnership with iFixit will only cover preferred devices dating back to the 2020 Galaxy S20.
Easy restorations are essential if Google enjoys customers using its devices for as long as it’s scheduling to support them with software. As of the Pixel 6, Google is pledging three years of Android updates and five years of security updates, which could witness the phones being used into late 2026.
At that point, it’s all but guaranteed that a phone will require a battery replacement or some repair at least once over its lifetime, which creates an accessible permit to spare parts vital.
Pixel spare components will be marketed individually and in “Fix Kits,” which come with tools to carry out the repairs. If you’d instead not do the repairs yourself, Google already has partnerships with several professional repair shops. In addition, Trade-in and recycling programs are available when you no longer want to keep using a device.
The consumer tech industry has gotten more severe about self-repairs in recent years. Like Samsung and Google, Microsoft and Valve are also working with iFixit to deliver spare parts for their Surface devices and Steam Deck.
Even Apple, which has historically created it complicated for customers to repair their own devices, announced a self-service repair program late last year. However, these companies are unlikely to be the previous as the privilege to improve legislation gathers pace worldwide.