There’s a lot of new stuff coming with the Google Pixel 8, but one of the biggest reveals was the promise that the phone would get 7 years of software support. But keeping a phone going is about more than just software, especially if you’re a klutz who doesn’t look after it. Thankfully Google has confirmed that there will be spare parts available for at least 7 years, too.
This means any problems that your Pixel 8 may encounter over the course of those 7 years, assuming you keep it that long, can be remedied. Batteries, in particular, have been known to face problems in the long term, and I’d put good money on Pixel 8 owners having to replace them at least once over those years.
Of course, as Android Police notes, it’s probably not a coincidence that both these measures have happened right after Google’s home state of California passed a new right-to-repair act. Under the state’s law, companies have to provide access to repair parts, documentation and software for, you guessed it, seven years — provided the product costs over $100.
Not that it matters why Google is doing this, so long as it keeps its promise. The last thing we need is for the company to renege on its promise three or four years down the line.
Google hasn’t confirmed how those parts will be available, but there’s a good chance that it’ll be through its existing partnership with iFixit. Currently, it’s possible to buy tools and official parts for various devices, Pixel phones included, and use official repair guides that tell you exactly what to do.
Even if you aren’t comfortable trying to fix your phone yourself, that kind of accessibility means it should be easy enough to find a repair shop that can do it for you. And hopefully this means those repair shops will be able to accommodate you long after the Pixel 8 stops being sold.
If you’re still on the fence about whether the new Google phones are worth buying, be sure to check out our Google Pixel 8 hands-on review and Google Pixel 8 Pro hands-on review. And if you still find yourself on the fence, remember that the extra software and repair support could be what you need to keep hold of that phone for a few years longer than normal — saving you money in the long run.