Google has decided to change its service policy of confiscating Pixels sent for repair with unauthorized components.
YouTuber Louis Rossmann recently uncovered a controversial repair policy from Google, which grants it the authority to withhold your smartphone if it contains unauthorized parts.
This policy applies specifically to Google’s own repairs of Pixel devices and states that if a device is found to have aftermarket components, it “will not be returned to you.”
“Unauthorized Parts: You will not send in a Device containing non-Google-authorized parts – if You do, Your Device will not be returned to you,” reads the policy.
However, shortly after the YouTuber posted the video and Android Authority reported on it, Google backtracked on the policy. The search giant stated it will return the phone and will help you determine steps to repair it, but it won’t repair it.
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“If a customer sends their Pixel to Google for repair, we would not keep it regardless of whether it has non-OEM parts or not. In certain situations, we won’t be able to complete a repair if there are safety concerns. In that case, we will either send it back to the customer or work with them to determine next steps. Customers are also free to seek the repair options that work best for them. We are updating our Terms and Conditions to clarify this,” a Google spokesperson told Android Authority.
As of writing, Google hasn’t made any changes to its Terms and Conditions. The text still contains a policy that indicates Pixel phones containing non-OEM parts will be confiscated if sent in for repair.
This comes shortly after Samsung made headlines for its controversial repair policies. The Korean company reportedly laid out stringent conditions for independent repair shops and service center operators, forcing them to share customers’ personally identifiable information. As a result, iFixit terminated its partnership with Samsung.
