The right-to-repair movement has given us many more owner-accessible devices, like the Framework laptop. But smartphone design seems to be continuing its path of ever-smaller components and devices that are nearly impossible for the layperson to open, let alone repair. The Pixel 9 series is one of the worst offenders to date.
iFixit and JerryRigEverything, two respected sources for repairability coverage and often the first to “tear down” new devices, got their hands on a Pixel 9. The former tore down a Pixel 9 XL, the latter a Pixel 9 Pro XL. iFixit says Google’s claims of increased durability seem justified based on the phone’s materials and construction… but if you manage to break it, you’ll have an even harder time getting it repaired.
iFixit destroyed the Pixel 9 XL’s screen immediately to simply open the phone the same way it does other Pixel devices. And I remind you that these are experts who do this all day, every day, they are not your cousins who fixed a Nokia in 2011.
Fortunately, it should be possible to replace the battery (the most common repair for any mobile device) without removing the display. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. They had to remove several components after the rear panel of the body: the temperature sensor, the wireless charging coil, and then several brackets and ribbon cables with tiny screws and glued parts.
Once the battery is exposed, you’ll still need to use a tricky pull tab system designed to “cut” the glue underneath. iFixit couldn’t do this as expected, even with three people at a timeone working on the plastic tab and two holding the phone down, and I had to resort to soaking the glue in isopropyl alcohol to weaken it.
But that wasn’t enough: They had to pry it out with a plastic bar, a potentially dangerous maneuver for a modern battery. This tore off some of the protective layer, leaving a sticky, wet residue at the end. Even if the screen had remained intact, it seems unlikely that this phone could have been successfully reassembled on the first try. iFixit called the battery removal “inexcusably poor” compared to the latest Apple and Samsung phones, even with a new rear-entry option.
JerryRigThe Pixel 9 Pro XL’s back panel went smoothly, leaving the display alone. He immediately found fault with over a dozen screws holding various brackets, many of which were non-standard and didn’t fit. And once again, removing the battery is particularly tedious, or in his words, “pretty much the worst. Even Apple has a better removal system.”
Once again, the technician had to resort to alcohol to weaken the glue holding the battery in place, as the plastic tape meant to cut the adhesive completely failed. And once again, it didn’t work. JerryRigEverything also had to resort to a crowbar, a maneuver that increases the risk of puncturing the battery, breaking the display panel underneath, or warping the phone’s body.
“From a repairability standpoint, I can’t recommend this phone to anyone,” he says. “…it’s unfair to humanity to make ten million of these devices at this level of difficulty.”
While both of these expert sources claim that Samsung and Apple are doing better than Google, which has simply forgone any form of repair for the Pixel Watch 2 and 3, they are not without sin in terms of repairability. iFixit called the new Galaxy Ring with its similar replacement-only repair system “100% disposable,” and the third-generation AirPods scored a shocking zero out of ten for repairability. iFixit has had a very public split with Samsung over the manufacturer’s continued use of expensive and difficult-to-replace components.
Some companies are making strides in repairability. Microsoft’s latest Surface devices stand out in this area, with QR codes on components linking to repair and replacement guides that anyone can read. But a Surface tablet or laptop is much easier for the average user to access, and a professional repair technician can do it all. Google’s batteries have similar QR codes that iFixit and JerryRigEverything immediately noticed… but both were dismayed to find that they only linked to a live support chat, not to any actionable instructions or guides.
Even with outliers like the Fairphone, major manufacturers are still making huge compromises in repairability and durability when it comes to phone and wearable design. Google has promised seven years of software updates for its most recent phones, but it seems optimistic at best that the Pixel 9 phones can actually last that long in the hands of their owners.
