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Google says it can’t fix Pixel Watches, please just buy a new one
(arstechnica.com)
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this post was submitted on 17 Sep 2023
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Next thing to be killed by Google in 3, 2, 1...
This is why for the first time in my life I ordered an iPhone. My domains being sold off to squarespace was the final straw for me.
To be fair, telling customers to "just buy a new one" is standard Apple practice.
Apple literally invented that move. I can understand being frustrated with Google's track record for support, but if you are switching to Apple in hopes of them being more pro-consumer, I got some bad news for ya.
Apple support and provide software updates for iPhones for 7 years. There’s plenty to hate about Apple but they’ve pretty much got the longest support for devices in the mobile industry.
I’d love to know more vendors who support their devices for longer than 7 years.
They also purposely build their devices in such a way that they often can't be economically repaired, necessitating a repurchase. Check out Louis Rossman on YouTube, he owns a repair shop and rants about it all the time.
I’ve literally just got my phone back from a local phone repair shop (repairing my iPhone) and it’s Samsungs my repair person rants about (the Z and S models they mentioned in particular). They fixed my iPhone same day while I waited.
Looking at iFixit scores, that seems to track. Samsungs seem to get 2/10 to 4/10, Apple get 6/10s. Google Pixel 7 seems to get slated everywhere for taking the longest to repair.
Phones in general seem to be awful to repair but I do not see iPhones as any worse than the current trends of unrepairable flip phones or phones with flimsy components like the Pixel 7 rear camera glass.
Can you share the Pixel 7 repairability score from iFixit? I couldn't find one.
I did find a glowing review from Hugh Jeffreys, another respected repair channel in YouTube.
https://youtu.be/yIiRc97DOU8?si=SNEQ-0SMX9ksn2ak
They didn’t publish one for some reason but you can garner a strong idea but just looking at the difficulty scores and time each type of repair takes.
Fairphone
Didn’t they announce that they would support their phone for 6 years, not 7?
That was the old support standard. From this year onwards, new models will be supported for 8 years (5 year Android updates + 3 year security updates).
Damn… that is nice! I do hope they get their battery life and camera in better shape, then they will be a real good alternative to most other phones.
To be fair here... Apple doesn't repair Apple Watches either. If you have AppleCare they still just replace it with a refurbished unit.
Google doesn't even have a similar program though.
Apple does repair watches. It’s limited to the two biggest things, the glass and the battery. Anything else and they just replace it and tear down the old one for resources.
Smartwatches in general are hard to repair but Apples service is miles ahead of anyone else.
To be honest, I’d prefer they did that.
Faster turnaround for the consumer and the old unit get put into the pool for the next refurb.
100% agreed. Repair or replacement to be honest makes no difference for me. Having repaired phones, tablets, etc. in retail for years (both OEM certified for Apple, Samsung, LG, etc. and third party) there is often no way to properly repair things like a device frame which can prevent a good screen from being installed correctly.
The fact they don't have that as an option at all is a major issue.
Are refurbished units not the result of a repair?
They are, but your average person thinks of the two entirely separate.
Many people feel a refurbished device is inherently messed up and they don't want to accept a refurbished unit as a replacement for their USED and DAMAGED device. They want the one thing repaired in store and their same device back. No matter what. Even when that's simply not reasonable for practical.
I've done phone, tablet, and computer repair for over 15 years now, both OEM certified (including Apple) and entirely third party. For some people the distinction between getting their same watch back with a new screen and a refurbished replacement is massive. Even though that refurb replacement likely was a small repair as well, just something not really field repairable.
For companies like Apple, some repairs they don't do in the field only because of the time it would take. Or the part they send for those in a retail location is a full assembly instead of just what needs to be fixed.
Button not working on your phone? For many companies, they aren't going to strip that phone down and replace the button ribbon, even though that is a separate part. Those ribbon connections are often routed under the battery and around the frame. It would take an hour to disassemble and make that repair. Not feasible for a retail repair environment. If they repair it at all, they would instead just replace the entire housing with many of those small components already installed, which is a much more expensive part, but faster. In most cases though the manufacturers would instead just replace the device for time consuming repairs like that, and the device would then be refurbished at a warehouse where they can take the time for an in depth repair like that.
This is crazy to me because a refurb unit is tested every time.
The don't test every device off the line, but when someone hands them a watch and says,' I broke this'. They actually go through a whole test suite to validate that it's been fixed and works properly.
Yeah, but from my experience, a large amount of people aren't very logical when it comes to electronics. Many people still seem to view it all as black magic that should just work 100% of the time and be indestructible.
It doesn't help that for some companies, QA on refurb devices is pretty sloppy. Almost no major company runs their own manufacturing or refurbishment systems, they're all contracted out and the contractors do the bare minimum required by the contract and many things simply aren't done or are missed even if they're supposed to be checked.
Yeah, I've bought most of my gaming consoles refurbished. Only one to break down on me was the PS2
This is one of the weirdest statements I've ever read.
I don't like the repair policy of this company so I'm switching to Apple......
Tell me you live in a dark cave without telling me you live in a dark cave.
I think the difference is that Apple products can be repaired, as parts are plentiful for third party repairers and apple will also repair it (for a premium).
The article is saying how no-one, not even Google, can repair a pixel watch as there were no spare parts produced.
Edit: I understand their repair policies re MacBook repair shops etc, but for a consumer being told that even the manufacturer can't do anything is a bit galling and cause for reflection on future purchases.
Thank you for helping with a drill down on that comment, instead of making fun of the commenter. You are lawful neutral. Keep up the good work.
There, fixed it for you.
I recommend that you watch Louis Rossmann on YouTube. He regularly presents how Apple prohibit repairs by third parties either by adding software locks to simple parts, prohibiting parts contractors from selling spare parts, donating to anti-repair lobbying group among many other practices.
Migrating to Apple because Google didn't repair a product is a very weird move. Both of those companies are to be blamed, but Apple much more in my instances.
But the point of the article is that the watch literally can't be repaired - no first or third party can do it.
But I can get any apple watch repaired. Yes they are scummy about third party, but apple will gladly repair it for money.
I can understand the shift.
Apple does the same. Not a third party, Apple themselves will NOT repair some broken devices that have broke because of Apple's design issues. Again, I urge you to watch Louis Rosmann. He has covered many instances of these.
You should give Google a hard time because what they are doing it is shitty. But Apple is not the answer. They do the same and more. The difference is that unlike Google, Apple won't let someone else repair it either.
You’re making a very narrow point and asking people to just watch an entire YouTube channel (and one where the subject goes on and on and on an about everything) to hopefully find proof?
Narrow point? The argument was that Google themselves don't fix the smart watch, but Apple wouldn't do such a thing. My point is that Apple does the same. How else would you want the counter arguments to be?
I presentes you Louis Rosmann, a subject expert in the field and one of whole world's leading advocate on right to repair. His channel has investigations on thousands of right to repair violations and scams from companies. What else would you expect? You don't want trust a random commenter on the internet but you also don't want to listen to the leading advocate in this domain either? Then maybe use the search function in YouTube, Google or in ChatGPT because please don't expect the said random commenter to spend their own time curating to spoon feed you information.
if you have a timed stamp example of the point that would be one thing. Citing an entire channel, and particularly one where he rambles on forever is a bad source.
I just came across a specific video and I remembered your comment. This whole video is good but you can start watching from 8:42 and 10:49 marks since you requested for a timestamp.
https://youtu.be/Z0DF-MOkotA?si=fvqW4_rqwnKfsuVz&t=522
And if you have 24 minutes to spare here is another video with packed full of examples.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUaJ8pDlxi8
It’s not the same situation though. Pixel watches are unrepairable even by Google.
I think he is talking about google’s habit of closing services rather than repairability.
When have Apple declared they can’t repair a currently supported/sold device?
Same here. Not sure why but being told all my domains were being sold to squarespace really pushed me over as well.
This is why I never invest in any Google product. They have a terrible track record of killing a project months after it was released.