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Google Hardware

Google Expands Its iFixit Partnership By Offering Parts For Pixel Tablet Repairs (slashdot.org) 21

Google and iFixit are expanding their partnership by offering several original parts for the Pixel tablet that Google had released in June. Google first partnered with iFixit in early 2022 to sell official replacement parts for its Pixel phones. Engadget reports: One of the most expensive components now available for sale is the tablet's rear case, which costs $200 and comes with three microphones, antennas, a power button with fingerprint unlock and volume controls. If your tablet's battery gets busted, you can now purchase an authentic replacement for $67, while a rear facing camera to replace one that's having issues will set you back $25. One replacement speaker will also cost you $25, as will a replacement for the device's USB-C port. But if it's the tablet's screen that needs replacing, you'll have to pay $200 or more. You can either get the part only -- consisting of a front glass digitizer screen, a 10.95-inch 2560 x 1600 pixel LCD and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera -- for that price or get a pack with tools you'll need to open up the tablet for $6 more.

iFixit, of course, doesn't just sell the parts: Its Pixel tablet portal also contains guides on how you can repair the model for each component it's selling. You can follow them if you want to be sure you're doing the right thing, even if you're pretty good at tinkering with electronics.

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Google Expands Its iFixit Partnership By Offering Parts For Pixel Tablet Repairs

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  • by hdyoung ( 5182939 ) on Thursday September 14, 2023 @09:16PM (#63849716)
    That’s awesome. That means Google should provide a good solid 9 more months of support before canning the product.
    • by Luthair ( 847766 )
      Thats pretty typical for consumer electronics - would be nice if they started offering upgrade boards.
    • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      Google now offers 5 years of support for phones. I don't know about this tablet specifically, but it really should be 5 years too.

      • Pixel are supported with software updates for three years. Starting with the Pixel 6, Google has committed to at least five years of security updates (not version upgrades).

        Note this is from day of release, not day of sale. So shave potentially a year or so off depending on when you purchased.

        • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

          Is that a bad thing? iPhones are notorious for getting slower with every OS update.

          It's not like you need to be on the bleeding edge for most apps anyway. A friend of mine has a 6 year old phone that is still on the original OS... An Alcatel I think. He upgraded to it because his even older Samsung Galaxy S3 finally couldn't run a food ordering app.

          • Is that a bad thing? iPhones are notorious for getting slower with every OS update.

            It's not like you need to be on the bleeding edge for most apps anyway. A friend of mine has a 6 year old phone that is still on the original OS... An Alcatel I think. He upgraded to it because his even older Samsung Galaxy S3 finally couldn't run a food ordering app.

            Bullshit.

            It has been at LEAST five years since I have had an iOS Update slow down either my old iPhone6+ or my current (but still ancient) iPhone 8+, not even for the first couple of days after Updating (which was expected due to Spotlight Reindexing).

            Quit lying.

            • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

              Apple lost a lawsuit over it.

              • Apple lost a lawsuit over it.

                You are conflating two different "slowdowns", probably on purpose.

                • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

                  https://www.reuters.com/articl... [reuters.com]

                  They were sued for both battery and software related slowdowns, and lost on both counts. The payout was pathetic.

                  You might be getting confused with the French regulatory fine they had to pay over the battery issues.

                  • https://www.reuters.com/articl... [reuters.com]

                    They were sued for both battery and software related slowdowns, and lost on both counts. The payout was pathetic.

                    You might be getting confused with the French regulatory fine they had to pay over the battery issues.

                    1. The Battery "slowdown" case had a flawed premise and, as usual, a Court that had insufficient knowledge of tech matters, and never should have found Apple liable "for deliberately attempting to trick users into Upgrading"; but Apple was unfortunately unable to prove a Negative (no surprise), even though the actual problem the Update was trying to solve (unexpected shutdowns in low ambient temps) existed across many cellphone models on both Platforms. Truth be told, Apple's only "sin" was failing to expla

          • by guruevi ( 827432 )

            Yes, that's a bad thing. Apple guarantees operating system updates and app makers are forced in compatibility for 7 years after the last day of sale. It's bad for the environment. My mother-in-law's $200 Galaxy stopped functioning with GOOGLE-fucking-MAPS on Android Auto just 2 years after purchase.

            • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

              Strange, my friend's ancient Samsung Galaxy SIII on its original OS still works with Google Maps.

              The way Google handles it, older versions of apps that are compatible with older devices are kept on the Play Store and installed when necessary. Even if the developer decides to abandon the app (unclear now Apple can force anyone to do 7 years of unpaid updates) the old version is still available.

              The main danger is that if the app requires a specific service and that service is dead, so is the app. But that aff

              • by guruevi ( 827432 )

                Yes, the apps are still there, but it no longer works on Android Auto. The device outright says it is too outdated to work with Auto and having looked at forums, this is a well known problem, no fix, Samsung won't provide a software update. On iPhone, the car-functionality is similar to (but not quite) streaming video, the app runs on your phone and streams its output, so whatever works on your phone works on your car, doesn't matter if your car or your phone is outdated.

  • It looks like breaking through the adhesive is a lot of work, with iFixit recommending an "anti-clamp" screen-pulling tool, a hair dryer, iFixit's "iOpener" heat pad, a suction cup, and a pick—they're emptying the whole toolbox to get this thing open. The first 18 steps of every guide go like this: Step 1, turn off the tablet. Step 2: put tape on the display if it's cracked. Steps 3 through 19: fighting the adhesive. iFixit's photos after this step all feature shredded adhesive leftovers stuck to the

    • Well, as if it wasn't bad enough that Motorola didn't use a replaceable battery in my Z4, they took the extra step of gluing it into the case. So even if you did manage to remove the screen without breaking it, you either used quite a bit of solvent and/or heat to get the battery out.

      On the plus side, I paid more for lunch than the replacement battery.

    • Hey world! I've got this great glue. Sticks to anything.

      Anyone got a touchscreen, webcam, memory bits, and battery that I can stick to it so i can call it a tablet?

  • Seems like that one is a throwaway-product.
  • Hello Google. I need some parts for repairing my Android OS.

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