Google Is ‘Thinking’ How To Make The Pixel Watch Customizable

If you break the Google Pixel Watch—whether it’s the first-generation smartwatch from 2022 or the latest model launched earlier this month—there’s no way to get it fixed through official channels. Instead, if you successfully make a warranty claim, Google will send you a replacement unit instead of repairing your model. This lack of customization highlights the company’s lack of experience in the smartwatch space. You can take a broken Apple Watch to Apple for a cracked glass repair or battery replacement, and the same goes for Samsung’s Galaxy Watches.

There is good news though. At a NYC Weather Week panel, focused on wearable technology—hosted by Back Market and moderated by One5c—Nicole Azores, manager of Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google, said Tuesday the company is considering a Pixel Watch design. to make it more manageable.

“Watches and wearables are still young, and we’re thinking about how we can make this possible,” Azores said on the panel. “We’re thinking about repairability on a broader scale, not just for phones and tablets, and we want to make sure that all of our products end up being repairable. I think watches are new as a category, there are certain design aspects that need to be considered in how we make them repairable.”

When can you fix it?

Azores did not provide additional information, including a timeline. Consumer technology products typically have a development time of two to three years. But it’s not clear whether this highly adjustable frame will appear on the Pixel Watch 4 next year or even after that. Google has stuck to the same design of its Pixel Watch for the past three generations, although the Pixel Watch 3 was launched in two sizes for the first time.

This is the first time the company has publicly commented on its smartwatch’s non-maintenance. Until now, Google representatives have often said that the company has nothing to share when fixing concerns are issued.

The Pixel Watch isn’t late to the smartwatch world, but the software it runs—Wear OS—has been around for a decade (formerly known as Android Wear). Google managed the operating system, as manufacturers like Fossil and LG make their own smartwatches. That changed in 2022, when Google released its own smartwatch, following its attempt to launch a shrinking platform alongside Samsung and Fitbit.

Google reportedly captured 8 percent of the wearable band market in the fourth quarter of 2022, the time when the first Pixel Watch was launched. Research group Canalys says the company shipped 880,000 Pixel Watches during that time (the rest being Fitbit devices).

Just the First Point

The lack of repair will kill many of these watches like electronic waste in the landfill, which according to the latest UN climate report has reached the point of disaster. By 2022, there were 137 billion pounds of e-waste, and less than a quarter was recycled. By 2030, waste is expected to grow by 33 percent, outpacing recycling.

There are ongoing efforts to enforce a technical fix. Last year, the European Union passed regulations requiring smartphones and tablets to have long-lasting batteries or easy ways for users to change batteries using common tools from June 2025. Although it does not have to comply with this law, Apple’s new iPhone 16. released a new adhesive that makes the battery inside easier to remove,

Whether it’s on the Pixel Watch 4 or the Pixel Watch 5, this design change is a win for consumers. Now Google needs to focus on improving the compatibility of Fitbit wearables. Despite the frequency of its trackers, the company does not have repair centers to send your device for repair.