- Pixel Watch 4 ranks as the best smartwatch in terms of repairability compared to the Apple Watch
- iFixit took apart the Pixel Watch 4, praising it for its visible screws and easy access to the watch mechanism.
- The publication also addressed the watch's battery, calling it a “truly replaceable smartwatch battery.”
When Google made public Pixel clock 4we were glad to see a whole range of new features, from improved battery life to a sleek new dome-shaped screen, but its replaceable parts topped our list, an overlooked feature for many wearable tech.
The ability to fix your appliances yourself is a fairly common request among consumers and has been around for some time.
While most best phones have been changed to accommodate this request, wearables are still ignored in the repair department, but Google is changing that with Pixel clock 4, a device that iFixit named the most repairable smartwatches – even ahead of Apple Watch.
What has changed?
In my review of the Pixel Watch 4: iFixit The company, which publishes information about device breakdowns and sells toolkits for it, has highlighted a number of new design elements that make it easier for consumers to repair their own devices. This raises the Pixel Watch 4's repairability score to 9/10.
This is a significant improvement from the low 3 and 4 ratings they've been given to similar devices in the past, as most smartwatches come sealed and require specialized servicing such as AppleCare.
First of all, the publication simply describes Google's latest smartwatch; “The glue, the frustration and the grief are gone. In their place: screws, seals and the pure joy of design.”
What immediately jumps out to iFixit is the visibility of the Pixel Watch 4's screws, which is considered a “good sign,” but Google goes even further by giving each screw its own O-ring, maintaining IP68 water resistance while still allowing easy access to the inside of the watch.
According to iFixit, he was able to get inside the watch in minutes simply by using three Torx Plus bits (1IP, 2IP and 5IP), a spatula and tweezers. This allows you to access the inside of the watch through the back.
From there, you can even remove the main display since there's no adhesive holding it in place, which iFixit describes as “a complete rethink of smartwatch design.” Then it's about the battery.
Once you've mastered all of the above, you'll have access to the Pixel Watch's battery, which iFixit was able to remove and replace by unscrewing two screws and a connector—”a truly replaceable smartwatch battery.”
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