Trusted Reviews is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Learn more.
Pixel boxes may be green, but Pixel Watch no-repair policy remains wasteful
In This Article
Google has today announced its hardware packaging is now 100% plastic-free, achieving a long held sustainability goal.
However, the company has also confirmed that, for the third generation in a row, thePixel Watch 3will need to be replaced entirely if you so much as crack the display. Confirming the news toAndroid Authority, a Google spokesperson said there’d be no display repairs available for Pixel Watch users.
Samsung 2024 QLED TV is £600 off
Get the highly-rated 55-inch Samsung Q80D 4K QLED TV for just £799, down from the £1,399 asking price.
The company said users should (viaThe Verge) “contact the Google Pixel Watch Customer Support Team to check your replacement options.”
That seems like an awful waste, given the rest of the components within the watch might be just fine. While Google might recycle the other elements of the watch, do users really need to be sent a brand new watch every time they have a mishap?
Considering there have been durability complaints about the Pixel Watch display for the previous couple of years, and that the new generation model hasn’t been upgraded from Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5, there’s a decent possibility there will be plenty more replacements in the post for Pixel Watch 3 buyers.
Users will Google’s Preferred Care policy will get affordable replacement devices in these eventualities, but it still seems unnecessary, especially given Google is putting so much effort into ridding plastic from its packaging.
In ablog posttoday, the company triumphantly posted: “Back in October 2020, we pledged to make our hardware packaging plastic-free by 2025. At the time, our packaging was already 94% plastic-free, but those last few pieces of plastic were the trickiest parts to replace. From shrink wrap and plastic tape to labels and more, we researched, prototyped and developed fiber-based alternatives to replace those final plastic components.
“Today, our new packaging for all Pixel, Fitbit and Nest devices is 100% plastic free. Not only did we reach our goal early, but we also set a new design standard along the way: beautiful packaging that’s easy to recycle.”
You might like…
Chris Smith is a freelance technology journalist for a host of UK tech publications, including Trusted Reviews. He’s based in South Florida, USA. …
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
