Google is joining Apple and Samsung in giving you the resources needed to fix phones yourself. The tech firm is partnering with iFixit to provide official parts for Pixel phones later this year. The initiative will cover models ranging from the Pixel 2 through to the Pixel 6 Pro and beyond. You'll have access to a "full range" of components like batteries, cameras and displays, whether you buy them by themselves or alongside tools in iFixit Fix Kits.
The initiative will be available in the US, UK, Australia, Canada and those EU countries where Pixel phones are sold. Google also said it's "expanding" authorized repair shops' access to parts, tools, documentation and training if you'd rather have someone else fix your handset.
The company characterized the move as one step in a broader sustainability push. All Google hardware will include at least some recycled material in 2022, and the firm pointed to other longevity-related features like five years of Pixel security updates and tools to turn old laptops into Chromebooks. Ideally, these efforts will help you use devices for longer and keep them from becoming e-waste.
There's also a likely pragmatic motivation. Like Apple and Samsung, Google is facing pressure from regulators and the public to remove limitations on do-it-yourself repairs. The iFixit partnership isn't guaranteed to help Google fend off criticism, but it might show that the company is willing to bend to avoid or accommodate new Right to Repair rules.