Google joins Samsung in working with iFixit on a self-repair program

The search giant announced today that it has become the latest manufacturer to partner with iFixit to offer spare parts for its devices. It is a deal that should make it easier for the average customer to get parts to fix their phone if it breaks. Parts like batteries, displays, and cameras will be available to purchase in the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, and other European countries where the phones are sold. The parts will be available later this year.

There will be spare parts for an impressive range of Pixel phones, including the latest ones. That means parts should be available for phones that are more than a year old. The partnership with iFixit will only cover select devices from the year 2020 and will be expanded over time.

If it wants customers to use its devices, it needs easy repairs. The phones will get three years of updates and five years of security updates, which could see them being used into late 2026. It's all but certain that a phone will need a battery replacement or some kind of repair at some point in its life, which makes it crucial to have spare parts.

Fix kits, which come with tools to carry out the repairs, will be sold separately as well. If you prefer not to do the repairs yourself, there are partnerships with a number of professional repair shops. When you no longer want to use a device, there are trade-in and recycling programs.

The consumer tech industry has become more serious about self-repairs. Microsoft and Valve are working with iFixit to offer spare parts for their Surface devices. Apple, which has historically made it difficult for customers to repair their own devices, announced a self-service repair program late last year. These companies are not likely to be the last to have right to repair legislation.