December 2023 was a month of fierce competition between Google and Apple over the repairability issue – Apple added the iPhone 15 to its Self Service Repair program and introduced a new diagnostic tool; Google introduced the Pixel Diagnostic app.
It’s 2024 now, but Google is not letting go of the repairability topic. The search engine giant that makes the Pixel phones endorses a proposed Right to Repair bill in Oregon and published a white paper (via 9to5Google).
“Today, we’re excited to reaffirm our support for the Right to Repair movement by releasing our first white paper on repair while endorsing proposed Oregon Right to Repair legislation”, starts Google’s blog post.
The company states that once advanced, the Right to Repair bill would be a win for consumers who are looking for affordable repair options, for the environment, and for companies that want to invest in making their products more repairable and sustainable.
Google also showcased the aforementioned white paper, which is titled “Google & Repairability”, stating that “Repair is a critical component of Google’s focus on enabling product longevity and sustainability”.
Here’s what Google’s efforts to make repair accessible consists of:
- Repair parts: “We ensure that parts for our phones are accessible to the public. We also do not require burdensome parts pairing or registration, meaning that a properly installed screen or battery will work no matter who is doing the repair. This accessibility is table-stakes, as far as we are concerned. We also believe this effort enables small businesses and local repairers to thrive and grow by encouraging scalable processes with genuine parts that enable efficient repairs.”
- Accessible tools: “We have consistently reduced the cost and number of repair tools required for our devices, and have now also made them available online for anyone to purchase. We have also launched an on-device Diagnostic App to help users test device functionality before and after repairs.”
- Clear instructions: “We recently redesigned our repair manuals so it’s easier for repairers to use them, and we plan to continue to upload manuals for previous and future devices going forward. Additionally, we’ve elevated the visibility of repair-related resources on our Help Pages, including information on how to order parts, view repair manuals, and run diagnostic tests — all elements of quality repairs.”
