Google publishes guides for Pixel 9 devices

Google has published repair instructions for the Pixel 9 series, taking an important step towards sustainability. The guides promise easier repairs, and at the same time, repair specialists have also taken the Pixel 9 Pro apart.

Pixel 9: Google publishes repair instructions

Google has taken another step towards sustainability and repairability of its smartphones. How 9to5Google reported, the tech giant has now published detailed repair guides for the entire Pixel 9 series. This includes the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL and even the foldable Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

The publication of these manuals follows Google’s initiative in December last year, when the company began offering Pixel repair guides in English. Previously, these were only available in French. The new guides are intended to help users and repair professionals alike to carry out repairs more efficiently and safely.

Dual-entry design

One of the most notable new features in the Pixel 9 series is the so-called dual-entry design. This construction allows both the front and back of the device to be opened independently. This is an improvement over previous models, which often required removing the screen to access internal components.
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Particularly noteworthy is the ability to access the battery by removing the rear glass cover. This reduces the risk of damaging the delicate screen during repairs. However, a teardown by iFixit shows that battery replacement itself can still be a challenge.

The repair instructions also reveal the increased complexity of the Pixel 9 devices. Multiple plates inside the smartphone serve to better distribute the impact of drops and increase durability. However, this improved robustness comes with a more complicated disassembly process.

Extensive documentation

The thoroughness of Google’s approach is reflected in the length of the repair guides. The manual for the Pixel 9 Pro is 272 pages long, while the manual for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is 340 pages long. These detailed documents include step-by-step instructions for opening and closing the devices, as well as disassembly and assembly flow charts.

Google now offers repair guides for Pixel models from the Pixel 5a onwards, including the Pixel Tablet. Together with the Pixel Diagnostic app introduced last year (*#*#7287#*#* in the phone dialer), this represents a comprehensive approach to supporting repairs.