Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
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- Google’s terms and conditions for Pixel repairs state that non-OEM parts on any device will not be returned.
- This essentially allows Google to “steal” your phone if you send it in for repair with third-party hardware.
- However, Google has confirmed that they are changing this policy, possibly due to public outrage.
Updated on June 4, 2024 (3:50 pm ET): Google has responded Robot body About the terms of service and repair dispute clause that allows a company to keep a device sent for repair if that device contains non-OEM parts. Google has assured us that it will no The company retained phones sent in for repair and changed the wording of its service contracts to better reflect this.
Here’s a statement from a Google spokesperson:
When a customer sends their Pixel device to Google for repair, we don’t keep it, even if it contains non-OEM parts. In some circumstances we cannot complete repairs due to safety concerns. In this case, we send it back to the customer or work with them to determine next steps Customers are also free to search for repair options that work best for them. We are updating our terms to make this clear.
This is a positive and customer-friendly move by Google. However, it is worrying that this provision even existed. Regardless, you no longer have to worry about Google keeping your Pixel if you send it in for repair.
Original article, June 3, 2024 (1:00 pm ET): Last week, Samsung itself found itself in the middle of a controversy when it was revealed that the company was forcing independent repair shops to rat out customers whose devices were equipped with non-OEM parts. And now Google is in trouble for similar anti-consumer behavior.
Like many other phone manufacturers, Google has a self-repair program to repair damaged or broken Pixel devices. they are support-website There’s an option to get repair kits, manuals and certified parts so you can repair your Pixel like new, he explains. Owners can send their device for professional repair.
Because replacement parts can be expensive, some DIYers prefer to use third-party parts. However, if you go this route, you may want to avoid sending your device to Google if there’s a problem you can’t fix.
This rule appears to have taken effect on July 19, 2023, as seen in S. Consider sending a phone you depend on for repair and then never getting it back. The discovery doesn’t bode well for the Pixel maker and has sparked some snarky backlash online.
like Reddit User said: “Google really hates its customers when those customers don’t open their wallets and point it to Google’s greedy hands: “This is crazy.” They really don’t want to own anything anymore. “They want to control everything we own and wants to dictate our lives,” said one YouTube commenter:
Imagine a world where if you buy a car and change the clutches because they need replacing, then take it to the dealer for some other unrelated problem, not only does the repair you requested, but the car is towed and scrapped. is This is why the right to repair is so important, because if you can’t modify or repair your device as you wish, it’s not yours.
This behavior is not unique to Google either; Samsung and Apple are similarly anti-consumer. For example, the aforementioned Samsung report found that Samsung requires independent repair shops to disassemble a customer’s product if it contains a non-OEM part.
Overall, it shows that the current state of self-repair is not looking good. At this point, these programs seem more for show than anything else. We’ve reached out to Google for comment and will update this article accordingly.
