Google Finally Made a Repairable Fitbit… Right?
Fitbits have never had the best reputation when it comes to repairs. The Fitbit Versa 4 scored only 4 out of 10, and the Fitbit Charge 6 received the same disappointing score.
Google’s Pixel Watch 4 appeared to change that, earning an impressive 9 out of 10. But did Google actually learn how to make repairable wearables, or was the Pixel Watch an exception?
We bought Google’s new $99 Fitbit Air to open it up and find out.
Opening Google’s New $99 Fitbit
With no visible screws on the outside, I started by heating the bottom of the Fitbit Air with a heat gun to soften the adhesive.
Once it was warm, I began prying around the bottom cover, hoping something would give. This quickly became the most difficult part of the teardown because the cover was tightly sealed and the plastic was extremely easy to warp.
After carefully working around the edges, the bottom finally released. To my surprise, it actually worked. We were inside without breaking the device, but the battery still couldn’t be disconnected.
Four Screws Stood in the Way
Four screws held the internal assembly in place. Once they were removed, I could turn the assembly over and finally see how the battery was connected.
This was the moment that would determine whether Google’s latest Fitbit followed the repair-friendly Pixel Watch 4 or repeated the mistakes of the older Fitbit models.
The Battery Reveals the Answer
Unfortunately, the battery is soldered directly to the board instead of using a removable connector. That makes a battery replacement more difficult because the old battery would need to be desoldered before a new one could be installed.
Still, it isn’t impossible. Once the difficult bottom cover is removed, only four screws stand between you and the battery. For someone comfortable with soldering, the repair looks surprisingly doable.
Final Thoughts
The Fitbit Air doesn’t match the Pixel Watch 4’s impressive repairability, but it also isn’t completely unrepairable.
The easily warped plastic and soldered battery make the process harder than necessary. However, the device can still be opened, and its simple internal construction makes a battery replacement possible with the right skills.
Google has made some progress, but the truly repair-friendly Fitbit still isn’t here.
See you in the next article!
