Google Pixel Watch 4 to Finally Fix Its Biggest Flaw: Repairability
For years, Google’s Pixel Watch lineup has had a glaring weakness: none of them could be repaired. If your screen cracked or the battery failed, your only option was to replace the entire device—an expensive and wasteful solution. But that’s about to change. According to insider reports, the upcoming Pixel Watch 4 will finally be repairable, marking a major shift in Google’s smartwatch strategy.
Google’s Problem with Unrepairable Smartwatches
Since the first Pixel Watch launched in 2022, Google has stuck with the same frustrating approach: when something breaks, you toss the whole watch. Repair experts at iFixit consistently gave the Pixel Watch series a dismal 4/10 repairability score, criticizing its glued-together construction and lack of replacement parts.
This wasn’t just inconvenient for users—it was terrible for the environment. A cracked screen shouldn’t mean an entire smartwatch ends up as e-waste, yet that’s exactly what happened with previous models. Thankfully, the Pixel Watch 4 is expected to break this cycle, allowing technicians to replace damaged components like the display or battery.
What Else Is New in the Pixel Watch 4?
While repairability is the biggest upgrade, Google isn’t stopping there. Here’s what else we can expect:
- Brighter Display: A peak brightness of 3,000 nits (up from 2,000 nits last year).
- Bigger Battery: The 41mm model will reportedly pack a 325mAh cell, a slight bump from the previous 307mAh.
- More AI Power: A new Google M55 co-processor will handle AI tasks five times faster.
- Wear OS 6 at Launch: The latest version of Google’s wearable OS should bring performance and efficiency improvements.
That said, some aspects remain unchanged. The Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 chip is sticking around, and storage options will likely stay at 2GB RAM / 32GB storage. The design is also expected to look nearly identical to past models.
A Long-Overdue Improvement
Google’s decision to make the Pixel Watch 4 repairable is a win for consumers and the planet. While hardware upgrades like a brighter screen and bigger battery are nice, the real story is that users won’t have to trash their watch over minor damage anymore.
We’ll know more when Google officially unveils the Pixel Watch 4, likely alongside the Pixel 10 this fall. For now, at least, it looks like Google is finally listening to its critics.
