In France, the global fight for the right-to-repair received a defining boost two years ago with the implementation of a mandate that required electronics and appliance manufacturers to provide their customers with repairability scores from 1 to 10, with 10 being the easiest to repair. This provides consumers with important information if they decide whether to fix their products themselves or hire someone to do it. Furthermore, smartphone manufacturers must now publish detailed documentation for their products, specifically repair manuals. The Pixel 6a manual was released last year in 2022. As per the latest reports, Google has published instructions for the repair of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.

Pixel 7

The support page containing the repair manuals is restricted to users outside of France. However, those who are interested can bypass the restriction by using a VPN. It’s worth noting that these geographical restrictions were not present when the Pixel 6a manual was released last year. Customers in the US and Canada can take advantage of Google’s partnership with uBreakiFix for out-of-warranty and in-warranty Pixel repairs, and customers in other regions can find authorized repair partners from this Google support page.

In April 2022, Google introduced its self-repair program for users in the US, UK, Australia, and Europe, allowing Pixel owners to order authentic device parts from iFixit. Fortunately for Pixel 7 series owners, the program was extended to the Pixel 7 lineup devices last month. It is worth noting that inexperienced users and beginners are advised not to attempt repairs due to the potential risks.

Despite efforts by tech companies to introduce concessions into right-to-repair bills, the fight for the publication of repair manuals without requiring the purchase of parts continues in regions where new laws are being considered. Other smartphone manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung are also offering self-repair services for their customers. Nonetheless, kudos to France for taking a bold step in support of consumer rights.

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