The “right-to-repair” movement has become increasingly important in the tech industry. Regulators and some companies have pushed for measures to promote both the longevity and repairability of devices. Among the big names, Google seems to be the one doing it best. A recent study claims that Google leads in terms of right-to-repair legislation and implementation in its own products.
Google’s Pixel phones have quite a few virtues, and they are getting more and more in the form of new features, more powerful hardware, better cameras, and long-term software support. However, the Mountain View giant still has a long way to go to position its Pixels among the best-selling phones on the market. Even so, the company has made great efforts over the last few years, which have paid off.
Google supports “right-to-repair” with its own initiatives and push for legislation
It seems that Google detected a practically unexplored niche that could potentially increase its sales and help the environment. Its latest Pixel devices boast being among the most repairable on the market. But not only that, they achieved their goal of using plastic-free packaging even earlier than projected.
Regarding repairability, the firm is not satisfied with just implementing more technician-friendly internal structures and making parts easily available on iFixit. A GlobalData report points out that Google has even actively pushed for legislation in favor of the right-to-repair movement. Their work resulted in legislation against measures such as parts pairing and repair restrictions in Oregon and Colorado.
Google’s movements as a whole promote a tech industry where electronic devices are more durable. This can be an important factor for users who prefer to keep their devices for many years instead of changing them so often. This in turn is beneficial for the brand, especially in the artificial intelligence era.
The company also benefits from the movement
If a phone breaks and there are no easy parts or ways to repair it, the user might consider buying a new one, but from a different brand. On the other hand, if a user is happy with their phone and it breaks but can be easily repaired, they will probably keep it. This means that the person will use the product for much longer.
In the case of Pixel phones, Google’s AI-powered features are quite popular. Many AI platforms, as you may know, learn from user data. For example, Gemini, the AI-powered assistant, gets better and better as more people use it every day. So, Google’s right-to-repair support not only keeps customers loyal but also boosts the training of its own AI-powered platforms.
Google’s policies also set it apart from other companies criticized for alleged “planned obsolescence” in their products. An easy-to-repair device gives the impression that it’s built to last a long time. Otherwise, the phones—or any device—seem designed so that you have to buy a new one if it breaks. People are increasingly criticizing this, and Google is aware of it.
Other companies have been forced to adopt right-to-repair measures
In particular, Apple has also taken steps to make it easier to repair its devices. However, pressure from the EU Commission forced the Cupertino giant to do so. For example, Apple attempted to resist the adoption of the USB-C standard for its iPhones. However, they had to give in to the legislation if they wanted to continue operating in EU member countries. Now, they have tried to get ahead of the legislation with their own initiatives, such as current-sensitive battery glue.