A wearable from Google has been long overdue, and its acquisition of Fitbit and revamp of WearOS with Samsung only added fuel to the fire. After years of being in the rumor mill and a sneak peek earlier at Google I/O, the Pixel Watch is finally official. Revealed in its entirety at the Made By Google event on October 6, 2022, the wearable will act as a device offering health benefits and seamless integration into the Google Ecosystem. This article explores the features of the Pixel Watch, providing insight into everything you need to know about the wearable.
Pricing and Availability
Pixel Watch is now available for pre-order and starts at $349. Google states deliveries and retail availability will begin on October 13, 2022, alongside the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. Also, for an additional $50, you can pick up a Cellular-enabled model that will let you make calls, send texts, and perform other such activities from the watch without a tether to the paired phone. The wearable has only one case size —41mm— but comes in three finishes, which we’ve detailed ahead in this article.
| SKU | United States | Europe | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPS only | $349 | TBD | TBD |
| GPS + LTE | $399 | TBD | TBD |
Google Pixel Watch
Pixel Watch, the first wearable from Google comes with a focus on wellness and integration with features like Google Assistant, Google Home, and Fitbit. If you’ve been eyeing a WearOS wearable, this might just be one to consider!
Colors
Pixel Watch will be available in three different stainless steel finishes, Black, Silver, and Gold. While the latter two colors have a glossy look, the black unit features a matte finish. For customization, there are twenty different band styles available that users can pair with their wearable.
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Pixel Watch |
|---|---|
| Colors |
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| Materials and Finishes |
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| Dimensions and Weight |
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| Connectivity |
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| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo |
| Compatibility | Android 8.0 or newer |
| Display |
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| Band Size | Active band: Small and large band sizes included
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| Power (Battery and Charging) | 294 mAh (typical)
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| Processor |
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| OS | WearOS 3.5 |
| Storage and Memory | |
| Sensors |
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| Interaction |
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| Audio |
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| Durability and Water Resistance |
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Design
The Pixel Watch comes with a circular case with a domed display. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find details about its exact size. Regardless, the wearable looks quite attractive from the outside, as you will notice its glass covering seamlessly merging into the stainless steel casing. The large bezels, though, make a different argument.
Moving forward, you will notice a rotating crown and a button on the right-hand side. The former is an element we’ve previously described as essential when navigating WearOS, and we’re glad to see its inclusion. With the experience I’ve had with my Apple Watch, I can’t imagine using a wearable without such a component.
If you flip the wearable around, you’ll notice its array of sensors that will come in contact with your wrist, measuring vital information and providing insights via the Fitbit application. An interesting choice is actually the wearable’s band locking mechanism, Google states it derived inspiration from a camera’s lens mounting system, and it does look quite seamless, and we hope it’s simple enough to use.
Internals
Coming to its internals, Pixel Watch ships with an older generation processor —the Exynos 9110— which led to consumers showering some disgruntled emotions. It also comes paired with the Cortex M33 coprocessor, though we’re unsure how this will translate into day-to-day performance. The hardware is definitely dated, but it’s possible with the generous 2GB of RAM that Google has onboard, the wearable might be able to hold its own. Keep your eyes on our website to see our full review in the coming months.
Alongside these internal specs, Google is also offering 32GB of eMMC storage to keep app data and other tidbits stored on the wearable. It’s a significant improvement over the nominal 16GB that Samsung has on offer, and we’re glad to see it. The number also puts it toe-to-toe with Apple Watch.
As for its array of sensors, Pixel Watch depends upon the following to serve its fitness and health-based function.
- Compass
- Altimeter
- Blood oxygen sensor
- Multipurpose electrical sensor
- Optical heart rate sensor
- Accelerometer
- Gyroscope
- Ambient light sensor
Battery
With Pixel Watch, Google promises up to 24 hours of battery life. There’s a 294 mAh cell packaged into the case, and with an older processor bundled, we don’t think that claim is far-fetched. To power this battery, Google ships a USB-C magnetic charging cable in the box that will provide 5W of power. Alongside these details, it also stated the watch charges up to 50% of its capacity in 30 minutes. Another 25 minutes on top will bring it up to 80%, while 80 minutes will leave it with a full charge.
Software and Health Features
Google’s first wearable ships with WearOS 3.5, the latest publicly available version. It’s the first time we’re seeing the platform on hardware that doesn’t belong to Samsung, and it’s pretty pleasing to look at, and hopefully, this will translate to when in use. Eighteen new watch faces, revamped applications, and customizable tiles will help you stay informed and control many activities.
Pixel Watch will pair with devices running Android 8.0 and above.
Google also described experiences like paying via Google Wallet, getting turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps, and controlling your smart home via the Google Home application, which will be possible on Pixel Watch.
For its health-based features, Google is turning to Fitbit, providing deeper integration and what it calls its most accurate heart rate tracking to date —it also includes AFib detection via an ECG app. The wearable will offer 40 different exercise modes, letting you track steps, distance traveled, and active zone minutes, helping you understand the impact you’re having on your health. A sleep score system is built into the wearables suite of features, helping you understand how well-rested your body is after a night of sleep. Pixel Watch will also offer buyers 6 months of access to Fitbit Premium to make the most of the available features and collected data. The wearable also offers additional safety features like SOS mode and Fall Detection. The latter will become available later this winter.
The Pixel Watch Lines Up to be Decent First Attempt
While it doesn’t get every aspect right —looking at you, your chunky bezels— in my eyes, the Pixel Watch seems to be lining up as a decent first attempt, especially if it integrates well with the new Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. It has ample internal storage, RAM, and a design that helps it stand out. I’m excited to try out its software features and can’t wait to see how its review will pan out.
What are your thoughts on Pixel Watch? Do factors like a higher amount of RAM and internal storage make it an option to consider in your book? Let us know with a comment below.
