Google Is ‘Thinking Through’ How to Make the Pixel Watch Repairable (www.wired.com)
from jeffw@lemmy.world to technology@lemmy.world on 24 Sep 2024 22:34
https://lemmy.world/post/20150895

#technology

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Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works on 24 Sep 2024 23:36 next collapse

So they have concepts of a plan?

NaibofTabr@infosec.pub on 25 Sep 2024 00:19 collapse

The plan is to have a plan.

Static_Rocket@lemmy.world on 25 Sep 2024 01:26 collapse

We’ll have a timeline for the plan to make the plan by next quarter

umami_wasbi@lemmy.ml on 25 Sep 2024 02:16 next collapse

Actually, how hard can it be? My old cheap ass Casio can have its battery replaced and waterproof already.

Sure, smartwatches have more bells and whistles but not as complicated as a mechanical watch, right?

Dark_Arc@social.packetloss.gg on 25 Sep 2024 02:21 next collapse

Not as complicated, but the parts are bigger. Few would want an even bigger smart watch just to get repairability.

Teils13@lemmy.eco.br on 25 Sep 2024 03:29 collapse

just make it easily repairable by third stores with minimally qualified people and cheap tools, like digital watches already were and are. Or, make a full collecting and recycling tax to be paid by those uncaring clients.

grue@lemmy.world on 25 Sep 2024 03:46 collapse

Or, make a full collecting and recycling tax to be paid by those uncaring clients.

No, that’s not good enough. “Right to repair” is kind of an unfortunate name, because it really shouldn’t be just about repair. My property rights include a right to modify, too, and letting manufacturers off the hook by doing first-party replacements instead of facilitating work by third-parties is not sufficient to protect that right!

Dark_Arc@social.packetloss.gg on 25 Sep 2024 11:02 collapse

I’d settle for first party repair and a repair window of up to 20 years.

Modification is great and should always be legal… But I’d take the win to get away from so much throwaway technology.

interurbain1er@sh.itjust.works on 25 Sep 2024 09:33 collapse

It is. Making anything easier to disassemble requires connectors which are a huge tradeoff in terms of space Vs features. Screws take a whole lot of space especially in something you want as thin as possible such as a watch.

Nowadays the direction is embedding of passive and even active components directly into the PCB layers and an increase of the number of layers. That means that if any of them fails there’s nothing to be done, or at least not without equipments that cost way too much to be worthwhile to anyone.

In a few years, microelectronic systems will be mostly just one big custom die with the processing units and all accompanying mosfet, inductors, capacitors and resistors directly etched into a 25 layers PCB with barely any surface mounted components. Even lithium batteries can been embedded and most likely will.

If you want something totally serviceable you will have to sacrifice on size.

jlh@lemmy.jlh.name on 25 Sep 2024 14:04 collapse

Sure, but people probably don’t expect ram slots on a smart watch. Just a replaceable screen, housing, mobo, dials, and battery would do a lot.

militaryintelligence@lemmy.world on 25 Sep 2024 02:56 next collapse

Make parts available. Right to repair isn’t wholly about designing products a certain way, but not allowing apple to monopolize certain parts.

Empricorn@feddit.nl on 25 Sep 2024 07:18 collapse

And schematics!

interurbain1er@sh.itjust.works on 25 Sep 2024 08:56 collapse

And my axe ! … I meant firmwares.

ocassionallyaduck@lemmy.world on 25 Sep 2024 05:27 next collapse

Nope. I quit their Google bullshit ages ago. Moto 360 was a brutal betrayal.

Get a withings scanwatch or something that is “dumb” enough to be an excellent and nice looking watch, hugely long battery life, and has all the health features that matter.

It looks sharply professional, I charge it once a month, and the updates for it don’t constantly make it run worse to push features in a different part of their product line…

ravhall@discuss.online on 25 Sep 2024 07:38 collapse

The fossil gen 6 hybrid is my strap of choice. E-ink like the withings, but the whole face, and analog hands that have a separate 2 year battery, so if the “smart” runs out of juice you still get the time.

werefreeatlast@lemmy.world on 25 Sep 2024 13:34 collapse

I don’t have a strap-on, but I can see how it would be fun to use one.

ravhall@discuss.online on 25 Sep 2024 14:17 collapse

I bet you are fun at a party 😉

werefreeatlast@lemmy.world on 26 Sep 2024 04:40 collapse

Yup. One 🥳 party 🎉! 🍆 🍑 🍋 🍍 🍅 🍇. There’s no strap-on emoji unfortunately, but imagine a strap-on party. LOL 🤣.

ravhall@discuss.online on 26 Sep 2024 07:25 collapse

I don’t have to imagine it 😉😉😉

Archer@lemmy.world on 25 Sep 2024 08:42 next collapse

Just talk to the iFixit people, they probably already have extensive notes

AI_toothbrush@lemmy.zip on 25 Sep 2024 09:30 next collapse

Btw there are things called “screws” and they can look cool on a more traditionally male watch or you can put it on the back plate androgynous or female watch. You dont need glue for waterproofing, thats just anti-repair propaganda. Look at every mechanical watch, gshock, garmin, etc they all have screws and 100,200 or even more meters of water resistance. If the battery, screen, back assembly and maybe the buttons are repairable thats already good for a smartwatch.

werefreeatlast@lemmy.world on 25 Sep 2024 13:32 next collapse

$200 bucks more on the price should do it!

abcdqfr@lemmy.world on 26 Sep 2024 04:57 next collapse

Meanwhile, in the engineering dungeon

ftbd@feddit.org on 27 Sep 2024 11:32 collapse

Seems like something you would think about while, you know, designign a product? And not after its release?