Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR
The Pixel 10 series features an upgraded plastic pull tab for easier battery removal than its predecessor.
Apple and Samsung’s methods for battery removal are more efficient, showing that Google still has further room for improvement.
The Pixel 10 series is the talk of the town, and there are plenty of upgrades across the board to get people excited. With the Pixel 10 series, Google has also launched the Pixel Care Plus program for $0 battery repairs, though that is an insurance program. If you prefer taking matters into your own hands, you’d be glad to learn that the Pixel 10 series has made battery repairs slightly easier than before, but a lot can still be improved.
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The good folks at iFixit took apart the base Pixel 10 to see just how repairable it is. They found that the phone now comes with a new battery pull tab, one that looks very familiar if you’ve ever disassembled a phone before.
As you’ll see at the 0:53 mark, there’s a green pull tab to help remove the battery from the phone’s frame. It’s a fairly standard plastic pull tab — pulling on it loosens the adhesive keeping the battery in place, though you’ll need some force to do the job. As with such pull tabs, you can rip them off before you pull the battery out, so you’ll have to be careful about this.
Pixel 10
Pixel 10
Pixel 10
Pixel 10
Still, it’s quite a welcome improvement and is great news for people who intend to hold onto the Pixel 10 for a long time, as replacing the Pixel 10’s battery won’t be as frustrating an ordeal as it is on the Pixel 9 series.
How does the Pixel 10 series compare to the Pixel 9 series for battery removal?
As we can see in iFixit‘s Pixel 9 Pro XL teardown, Google previously used a different, sliding saw-style pull tab that extended on both sides of the battery. Users had to pull horizontally, wiggle, and saw up and down to loosen up the battery — a task that is easier said than done. You’ll likely need some more hands to keep the phone in place, and even then, it would be a good idea to use some isopropyl alcohol to soften the glue.
Pixel 9 Pro XL
Pixel 9 Pro XL
Pixel 9 Pro XL
In iFixit’s case, the repair person had to disassemble the rest of the phone, use a spudger to pry out the battery (do not use a spudger to remove a charged battery!), accidentally pop out the heatsink on the underside, and then use picks from the underside to remove the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s battery. What a mess!
Pixel 9 Pro XL
Pixel 9 Pro XL
Pixel 9 Pro XLHow does the Pixel 10 series compare to the iPhone 16 for battery removal?
When the iPhone 16 came out last year, iFixit praised Apple’s battery removal mechanism as the best method for modern smartphones. The iPhone 16 does not use pull tabs. Instead, Apple has used a special adhesive that debonds when you apply an electric current, coming out cleanly and easily after mere seconds of applying current.
Apple iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16
Apple iPhone 16How does the Pixel 10 series compare to the Galaxy S25 Ultra for battery removal?
As we can see from iFixit‘s teardown from earlier in the year, the Galaxy S25 Ultra uses an equally practical method for battery removal. There are four plastic pull tabs on each edge of the battery. You only need to peel the tabs away from each edge, and the battery can be popped out as no more adhesive is holding it in place.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Samsung Galaxy S25 UltraThe Pixel 10 is a good step forward, but Google can do better
The plastic pull tabs used on the Pixel 10 are better than the nightmare on the Pixel 9 series, but they are still prone to ripping out. As both Samsung and Apple have showcased, Google can adopt much better mechanisms to help with battery removal. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the Pixel 11 series will improve its repairability further, especially with battery removal.
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