What you 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 probably the most repairable smartwatch in the marketplace, 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 an alternative of glue, all whereas sustaining IP68 / 5ATM water resistance.
Google’s earlier smartwatches had been notorious for being sealed shut. If one thing broke, like a cracked display or worn-out battery, your solely choice was to interchange 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 possibly can realistically restore your self.
For the primary three Pixel Watch generations, a cracked display or dying battery meant you’d possible get the entire gadget changed, not fastened. However when iFixit tore down the Pixel Watch 4, the location concluded it’s probably the most repairable smartwatch in the marketplace.
Screws over glue
The teardown reveals design selections that prioritize entry over obfuscation: two Torx T2 screws underneath the band allow you to pop open the case with out ripping by adhesives. The battery and show themselves are secured with screws (T2 and a few T5s) as an alternative of glue.
Reassembly nonetheless retains the watch’s IP68 / 5ATM water resistance due to a silicone O-ring seal. In fact, this extra open method comes with some caveats. The repairability supplied 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 quite than the previous magnetic or pogo-pin model utilized in prior fashions.
Which means older chargers gained’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 through iFixit, not simply to approved retailers. On high of that, opening or servicing for the battery or display gained’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.
Against this, the Pixel Watch 4 will get a really excessive mark: 9/10. You may 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.
