Google Pixel 6a Owners Can Finally Get DIY Repair Parts From iFixit
Google's Pixel 6a, the more affordable alternative to the Pixel 6, is still a great phone, though no doubt many now-former owners have made the jump to the latest and greatest Pixel 7 series. If you're still rocking the slightly older phone, however, and want to keep it alive for as long as possible, you have a new option for repairing faulty components without spending too much: repair parts and kits from iFixit. This is the latest development in the team-up between iFixit and Google that was announced in April 2022.
The Right to Repair movement picked up a bit of steam in late 2021 when Apple announced its (controversial) DIY repair program, and Google followed with its own iFixit partnership announcement only a few months later. The idea is that consumers who want to extend the life of their smartphone and avoid spending excessively on repairs can take the risk of replacing components on their own.
This effort has become more difficult with time, as modern smartphones are often sealed with batteries that can't be easily removed by the user and filled with a whole lot of adhesive gluing everything together. Still, if you have a Pixel 6a that has a broken screen or scratched camera lens, you can check out iFixit's parts catalog and see about getting the tools and components you need to fix it at home.
Google's partnership means iFixit has genuine parts
iFixit's online shop is now showing parts in stock for the Pixel 6a, including options to buy only the components on their own or the components along with the various tools needed to open up the phone and make the parts swap. If you already have tools from other gadget repairs, the odds are you'll be fine with just the component, but if you don't have any phone-repair tools, you'll want to get some — attempting a repair using the wrong tools can be a very expensive mistake.
The product catalog includes all of the components that are most likely to need repairs on a smartphone, including everything from the simple 5G antenna cable all the way to the full motherboard. There's also a replacement SIM card tray, the vibration motor, rear and front cameras, the loudspeaker and earpiece speaker, the 5G antenna itself, and, of course, the screen and battery.
The Pixel 6a replacement screen, which is the component most people are likely to need, is priced at $92.99 as a standalone part and at $99.99 as the bundle with the tools. A replacement battery is priced at $39.99, including the adhesives that will need to be replaced after you remove the original parts and the various tools used for conducting the repair. The wide rear camera kit is priced at $56.99 and the ultrawide rear camera kit at $36.99. Based on the current inventory numbers listed on the site, it seems iFixit may not have received a large quantity of the components, as only a handful is in stock in most categories.