Update 05/06/2024 at 9:56am ET: Google will reverse the policy about keeping devices sent in for repair that have unauthorized parts. The company said in a statement that it “would not keep” devices regardless of the presence of unauthorized parts and will update its terms and conditions to reflect it. Read more here.
The original story continues below.
As people continue to push for the right to repair, tech companies continue to create sneaky ways to screw with repairs. Now Google is joining the club after a YouTuber spotted the company’s policy to keep devices with unauthorized parts.
Louis Rossmann detailed a line in Google’s ‘Service & Repair Program Terms & Conditions,’ which says: “You will not send in a Device containing non-Google-authorized parts – if You do, Your Device will not be returned to you.”
Yup, you read that right. If you fix your phone with parts not authorized by Google and then send that phone to Google for a repair, Google will just keep it.
The terms and conditions page notes that the document is effective as of July 19th, 2023, but interestingly, Rossmann couldn’t find any captures of the page from before then on the Wayback Machine.
It’s not a great look for Google, which has historically offered subpar service and repair options for its devices.
Unfortunately, Google isn’t alone in shady repair dealings. Samsung reportedly makes independent repair shops share customer information with it and “immediately disassemble” phones repaired with third-party parts.
Source: Louis Rossmann Via: Android Authority
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