Tech Desk
Aug 20, 2024
Google's latest smartwatch, the Pixel Watch 3, has a major flaw, it can't be repaired, only replaced. It means that if your watch breaks, you'll have to get a new one, instead of fixing the old one.
The original Pixel Watch also suffered from the same fault, and there has not been any learning curve with regard to this concern; it seems.
The Pixel Watch 2 was irreparable, too, and now the same can be said about the Pixel Watch 3. This trend is extremely concerning because it indicates that for Google, profits are more important than sustainability.
On the repair front, the Google representative did confirm that the Pixel Watch 3 is "replacement only." If your watch breaks, you are going to pay $49 for a replacement, even if you have Preferred Care insurance. This solution is very expensive, especially if you want to keep your smartwatch for years.
Read more: THIS Apple Watch feature fetches boarding pass info just with a swipe, crown spin
This is disappointing news for those who would like to hang onto their smartwatches for a number of years and make repairs on their own. It is also bad for the environment; electronic waste is a growing problem.
This is a bad news for the environment, as broken watches would likely end up in landfills. The United Nations estimates 50 million metric tons of electronic waste were generated in 2018, but only 20 percent was properly recycled.
However, making the Pixel Watch 3 non-repairable is a retrograde step for sustainability. The company should have taken a different approach, it should encourage users to repair and reutilise devices instead of replacing them. This would reduce electronic waste and help the environment.
In its place, it would offer Preferred Care insurance, which includes accidental damage and out-of-warranty problems. This insurance has a $49 service fee should anything go wrong, adding another cost to the consumer.
