The long-rumored Google Pixel Watch may be on the way. As Google throws its effort behind a new version of Wear OS with features from Tizen and Fitbit, it looks like it’s gearing up to release hardware to match.
If Google had a Pixel Watch scheme, it could take the Apple Watch 7, Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, and all the other best smartwatches on the market.
A number of patents and acquisitions in the wearable space (ahem, Fitbit) suggest that the Pixel Watch’s debut is a matter of when, not if. In addition, a growing number of rumors claim that the Pixel Watch is definitely real and could arrive in a few months.
Google also knows that smartwatches and fitness trackers are one of the fastest growing categories of consumer technology. It would be wise to come up with its own model as an accessory for Pixel smartphones, such as the Google Pixel 6, Google Pixel 6 Pro, Google Pixel 6a or the upcoming Pixel 7.
So when will the Pixel watch arrive? And how will it look? What are the features that make it stand out? Here are all the rumors we know about the Google Pixel Watch release date, price, design, and more. And check out our Google article in 2022 for more looking into the future.
Google Pixel Watch news (Updated April 25)
Possible release date for Google Pixel Watch
While a Google Pixel Watch tip was given for a May release, leaker Jon Prosser now claims it will be revealed at Google I/O in May but then released in October.
Prosser tweeted, referring to what to expect at Google I/O, a primarily developer-focused event: “From what I understand, Google will officially announce the Pixel 6a+” to tease the Pixel Watch. The Pixel Watch will be officially announced and launched with the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro in October.
Another leak via Evan Blass, which references wearOS 3.1, says it “won’t be long now,” so it’s very likely we’ll see the Pixel Watch launch this spring.
Google Pixel watch price speculation
How much does a Google Pixel watch cost? Not like the Apple Watch, if we have to guess. There aren’t many Google Pixel Watch cost leaks to point out, but we do put it in the mid-range price category. The Apple Watch Series 7 and Galaxy Watch 4 start at $399 and $249 respectively, so we expect Google to try to bring those two watches down slightly. Similar to how the Google Pixel 6 series is cheaper than both the Galaxy S22 and iPhone 13.
It won’t be the cheapest option on store shelves, but it could fall into the $200-$350 price range depending on the size and LTE variants. Again, this is just speculation based on what we know about Google’s pricing strategy for the rest of the hardware division. Insider reports that the watch will cost more than a Fitbit watch.
google pixel clock design
The design of the Google Pixel Watch has allegedly been completely leaked, thanks to a prototype that was reportedly found in a restaurant. Pictures, I mentioned at the beginning before Android Centraldisplay a round design with what looks like a crown on the right side, but there are two buttons as well.
Additionally, it appears that the Pixel Watch will use a proprietary connector for the watch bands, but this has not been confirmed. There is a heart rate sensor but it is not easy to tell what other sensors there are.
We first got a sober glimpse of the Google Pixel Watch’s design when Jon Prosser tweeted a leaked render of what he claims is the Pixel Watch back in April, showing off a rounded design with what appears to be a physical crown. The person who owns the watch on Reddit claimed that the crown is very similar to the Apple Watch, and has a satisfying click when pressed.
The Reddit AMA also revealed that there may be a speaker and microphone grille on the left side of the watch, and no visible spot for inserting a SIM card – which isn’t a huge surprise.
The face of the alleged prototype is about an inch and a half in diameter, with a notable bezel, and is about half an inch thick. Other Reddit users have also suggested that the charging connection could be similar to the Fitbit Versa.
The leaker recently shared a series of official-looking Pixel Watch marketing images. The images evoke a wearable with a round face with a bezel-less display that looks like a curve around the edges of a smartwatch. On the right side is a single crown that appears to be designed to present the watch’s only physical controls.
As such, the Pixel Watch appears to be poised to be a fairly simple smartwatch, somewhat in keeping with the design of other Pixel devices. In the meantime, interchangeable bands will provide wearers with a bit of customization.
The image above may be the first official image of the Pixel Watch, leaked by 91Mobile. The curvature of the rounded screen, the crown on the right side like previous leaks, but also the Google Pixel 6 user interface, and the intricacies of Fitbit’s fitness features.
We’ve seen some pretty cool technical concepts, too. These images are from designer James Tsai. Inspired by the company’s “Made By Google” devices, Tsai introduced a playful array of Google-themed offerings such as “White Milk”, “Sweet Papaya” and “Black Boba”.
The Google Pixel Watch colors also seem to have been hinted at in the default Pixel Superfans coloring book. These seem to include Just Black, Lemon Pop, Pale Yellow, and Dark Olive; Think of standard colors in the form of pastels.
A different color leak gives only three colors, identified simply as black, gray, and gold instead of the more perky Google names. This came from a certain US airline, so there will likely be more colors on offer that won’t be sold by that company.
A patent application from Google has shown what looks like a set of skin-based touch controls for what could be the Pixel Watch and the next generation of Pixel Buds.
The idea is that the sensors will allow the user’s skin to be a form of touch-sensitive surface for controlling wireless earbuds and extend the control surface of a smartwatch. Of course, the patent application is simply the early stages of this technology, and it may never see the light of day. But such a system in the Pixel Watch will definitely make it stand out from other smartwatches.
Google Pixel Watch specifications
German publication WinFuture It reported that Google is working on three Pixel Watch models, codenamed Ling, Triton, and Sardine. However, the most recent Insider report instead talks about the public project known within Google as “Rohan”.
However, what exactly the names of these Pixel Watch icons mean is unknown. It seems reasonable, given the names, that the devices come in different sizes, and possibly different specifications.
One can focus on the lifestyle, taking advantage of $40 million in smartwatch technology from Fossil I got it last year. The other can become one of the best fitness trackers, taking advantage of it Google’s ownership of Fitbit.
On that note, it is worth taking a look at this report from ET News which states that Google has placed a huge demand for Samsung’s body motion tracking sensors. Those, combined with Qualcomm’s latest smartwatch chip and rumors of onboard storage and LTE connectivity, could make for a good-spec Pixel watch.
Google Pixel Watch Wear OS
That’s not surprising, but Google will bundle its own Wear OS platform into the Pixel Watch. But what could make the program different, or should we say, better?
Popular Wear OS features on third-party smartwatches from TicWatch and Fossil include continuous heart rate monitoring via Google Fit, contactless payments with Google Pay and access to the Google Assistant hands-free, as well as the Google Play Store for the smartwatch. In the past, these features haven’t solved Wear OS flaws, but the newer, more refined version of Wear OS works great on the Galaxy Watch 4.
We should get a better understanding of what Wear OS looks like without Samsung’s built-in user interface when new Wear OS eligible smartwatches are updated in early 2022.
Meanwhile, an Insider report suggested that the Pixel Watch will have key features including step counting and heart rate monitoring. It also claimed that Google’s acquisition of Fitbit could result in some kind of Fitbit integration with Wear OS; This integration is said to be codenamed “Nightlight”.
separate report from 9to5Google It shows how the Google Pixel Watch can integrate Fitbit fitness tracking across different watch faces. One of the watch faces in the Wear OS 3 video goes so far as to include the Fitbit logo along with the number of stairs climbed and total calories burned.
The bottom line is that Google is getting better and better. One of our editors really likes Wear OS and has some ideas for Google about what he wants out of his Pixel Watch.
Comparison between Google Pixel Watch and Apple Watch
The Google Pixel Watch will likely outperform the Apple Watch at its own game, but it will require serious commitment from Google and some killer features. This will include a premium Wear OS experience that is intuitive and offers a wide range of great apps. Google will also need to take advantage of the Google Assistant and its Siri features right on your wrist while offering seamless integration with other Google services like Gmail, Google Photos, and Google Calendar.
When it comes to health tracking, the Pixel Watch will need to build on its acquisition of Fitbit and create a wearable fitness device that beats the Apple Watch in sensors and exercise tracking. Fitbit’s daily standby score and Active Zone Minutes are two particularly nice features.
Last but not least, the Pixel Watch will need competitive pricing and longer battery life than the Apple Watch to really win.
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