Disassembling the Pixel Watch shows the “ugly” interior, giving strong first-gen vibes

What secrets the interior holds Pixel Watch wait? iFixit—Google’s new repair partner—demolished Google’s first self-branded smartwatch to see this thing put together. Like us, iFixit came with strong “first generation” vibes.

The good news is that it doesn’t seem impossible to replace the screen. Usually a bit of heat and prying digs out the top, but the less-than-ideal layout means you’ll have to remove the battery as well, as the connector is buried under a soft battery case. Screen replacement is a real concern here, given that the entire top half of the watch is glass. If you bump the watch against something or drop it, there’s a good chance you’ll break the glass corners. A several people have already done it, with one user reporting that Google will not repair the Pixel Watch for any amount of money, so you’re on your own! If you’re worried about the screen, one company is already sold bumper case for Pixel watch.

iFixit took plenty of time in the four-minute video to call Google’s internal construction “ugly.” After opening the front, iFixit’s Sam Goldheart remarked, “It’s immediately obvious that we’re in Android land. The silver battery case and Kapton strap almost come as a shock after all our Apple rip-offs,” later adding that the welds holding the buzzers together were “kind of ugly.” Apple’s “paint the back of the fence” The design philosophy means that even the inside of an Apple product looks good, usually with color coordinated, lovingly labeled components. Google, especially in the first generation, doesn’t exist yet.

iFixit didn’t give the Pixel Watch a repairability rating, but on the positive side of the repair, iFixit was happy to see that the back glass pops out just like the front and isn’t connected to any of the sensors. If you happen to somehow crack the back panel, you wouldn’t have to do much work to replace it. Goldheart was also impressed with Google’s new adhesive for the back panel, which came out as one continuous piece that left no trace behind. The bad news is that none of the buttons or crowns appear to be replaceable.