Pixel 9 Pro XL teardown shows what Google’s learned about reparability — and what still needs work
Thank god for warranty service.
JoriPress
- Being able to open the phone from both the front and the back is a big step forward in reparability.
- Component replacement generally looks pretty easy, with the notable exceptions of the screen and battery.
This year’s Pixel lineup is all about giving you options. The new positioning of the Pixel 9 Pro feels like a smartphone being made without compromise, squeezing in a whole lot of performance into a package no bigger than the base Pixel 9. But for shoppers who want that kind of power, all of Google’s latest features, and the biggest (non-foldable) screen they can get, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is where it’s at. If you’ve been curious to see what makes this phone tick, it’s finally time to peel back its exterior and get into the guts within, as we check out a video teardown.
This time, it’s the crew over at iFixit cracking open the new Pixel (via 9to5Google), and almost from the get-go, problems start rearing their ugly head. At least, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL is easy enough to start prying apart from the front, the fragile display panel was an early casualty, partially delaminating during removal.
