New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….
Original story (published on Dec. 26, 2022) follows:
Google’s premium Pixel 7 and 7 Pro smartphones have a number of upgrades including 5G connectivity, rapid charging, and water and dust protection.
Despite receiving positive reviews from buyers, there were still some bugs and other issues that made the experience unsatisfying.
For instance, we recently highlighted random rebooting of the smartphones while charging.
Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro rear camera glass shattering
Some Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro owners (1,2,3,4,5,6) have now been reporting an issue where the rear camera glass of their devices is randomly shattering.
Pixel 7 pro Camera glass shattered Should this be covered by warranty? Had it in my pocket, and when I took it out it was like this. 99% sure I didn’t bump anything.
Source
According to reports, the camera breaks or shatters without falling or dropping. The inexplicability of such instances is surely confusing for some users.
It seems that Google is allegedly aware of the issue and that the team is currently reviewing the cases for a resolution.
Even though the root cause of the problem is not known yet, some affected users have been successful at placing a replacement.
However, there are also others (1,2,3) who are still struggling to get a replacement for their faulty devices.
No official acknowledgment
We’ve seen that some people have been sharing screenshots or emails from the team’s representatives. But Google hasn’t officially acknowledged the issue.
There has been an instance where a member of the support team allegedly confirmed that the shattered glass of the devices isn’t included under the warranty. But this is also not officially backed by Google.
That said, we’ll keep tabs on the latest developments and update this article as and when something noteworthy comes up.
Update 1 (Dec. 27, 2022)
05:30 pm (IST): Some Pixel 7 owners (1,2) are now claiming that Google gave them a negative response about warranty coverage for the shattered camera problem. And the repair cost for the same is reportedly around $200.
It appears that Google has a set cost for any glass repair. For instance, when one of the user’s Pixel 7 back glass was broken, they received a similar bill.
Silly mistake of mine. Its still working… Now i send a repair request and Google estimated 189€. That does seem kinda low… Can i expect a lot more once its actually there?
Source
Update 2 (Dec. 28, 2022)
06:28 pm (IST): Google is now asking those affected to get in touch with support for further assistance.
Hi Kerri, we’re sorry to hear about the damage to your Pixel phone. We suggest you reach out to our support team, so that they could take a closer look. Here’s the link https://goo.gle/PixelHelp Rest assured, our team is well equipped and will do their best. Appreciate it. ^Tina (Source)
Update 3 (Dec. 29, 2022)
12:36 am (IST): Some Pixel 7 users (1,2,3,4) are claiming that the change in temperature (from warm to cold) could potentially be the reason behind the shattering of camera glass.
Update 4 (Dec. 30, 2022)
18:09 pm (IST): A user claims they were quoted a price of €330 to get the shattered camera glass repaired by Google. However, a local store only asked for €30 to repair it.
Update 5 (Jan. 02, 2023)
15:09 pm (IST): According to Google, physical damages void manufacturer warranty. So, users have to pay for repairs in order to get their Pixel devices fixed (1,2,3).
NOTE: You can also check the Google Pixel 7 series bugs/issues and updates tracker.
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