What you might want to know
- The Pixel Watch 4 breaks away from its sealed, unserviceable predecessors by lastly permitting customers to restore their very own units.
- iFixit calls it essentially the most repairable smartwatch available on the market, giving it a near-perfect 9/10 rating.
- Two Torx T2 screws exchange messy adhesives, and each the show and battery are held by screws as a substitute of glue, all whereas sustaining IP68 / 5ATM water resistance.
Google’s earlier smartwatches have been notorious for being sealed shut. If one thing broke, like a cracked display screen or worn-out battery, your solely possibility was to exchange all the unit. That adjustments with the Pixel Watch 4.
Google’s newest and biggest smartwatch, the Pixel Watch 4, is making headlines, not simply due to its software program or health monitoring, however as a result of it’s lastly one thing you may realistically restore your self.
For the primary three Pixel Watch generations, a cracked display screen or dying battery meant you’d probably get the entire machine changed, not fastened. However when iFixit tore down the Pixel Watch 4, the positioning concluded it’s essentially the most repairable smartwatch available on the market.
Screws over glue
The teardown reveals design selections that prioritize entry over obfuscation: two Torx T2 screws beneath the band allow you to pop open the case with out ripping by way of adhesives. The battery and show themselves are secured with screws (T2 and a few T5s) as a substitute of glue.
Reassembly nonetheless retains the watch’s IP68 / 5ATM water resistance due to a silicone O-ring seal. After all, this extra open strategy comes with some caveats. The repairability provided applies primarily to the battery and show.
Additionally, to facilitate simpler opening, Google seems to have modified the charging methodology. The Pixel Watch 4 comes with a side-charging cradle reasonably than the outdated magnetic or pogo-pin type utilized in prior fashions.
Which means older chargers received’t work, and there’s concern that is simply one other proprietary twist. Nonetheless, the side-charging format may assist by giving restore technicians unobstructed rear entry.
Elements and guarantee, no strings
This issues past restore. Google will promote spare elements by way of iFixit, not simply to licensed outlets. On prime of that, opening or servicing for the battery or display screen received’t void the one-year guarantee.
These strikes align with rising stress for sustainability and right-to-repair in tech. The change additionally highlights how far the Pixel line has come. Earlier fashions scored poorly in repairability.
In contrast, the Pixel Watch 4 will get a really excessive mark: 9/10. You’ll be able to preorder the Pixel Watch 4 beginning at $349 (41 mm Bluetooth), with the 45 mm mannequin at $399. LTE variants price an additional $100. Shipments start October 9.
