Google’s letting Samsung hold down the Wear OS fort, and is finally releasing its take on an Android smartwatch: the Pixel Watch.
Google first teased the very round smartwatch at its developer conference this summer, but now it’s getting into the details, including the Pixel Watch’s official starting price of $349.99.
Well-rounded design — Google’s new stainless steel smartwatch features a round 320 ppi AMOLED display (inspired by a droplet of water) with prominent bezels and much like Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch, interchangeable watch bands so you can customize the look as you please.
Google plans to sell just one size of Pixel Watch in two different variants: either Bluetooth/Wi-Fi or LTE, in black, silver, and gold finishes. The insides of the watch are a different story.
Pixel Watch Specs
- Size: 41mm
- Weight: 36 grams (without bands)
- Processor: Exynos 9110 SoC and Cortex M33 co-processor
- Memory: 32GB eMMC flash storage
- RAM: 2GB SDRAM
- Battery: 24 hours
Even if it doesn’t have the in-house chips Google designed for the Pixel 7, the Pixel Watch should be able to handle anything Wear OS throws at, with a special focus on Google’s AI-enabled capabilities. According to Google, it will also last about 24 hours on a single charge.
The Google Touch — Like most Google products, the stand-out feature for the Pixel Watch will likely be in software. Besides classic Google apps like Maps and Google Home, the Pixel Watch has deep integration with Fitbit for exercise and sleep tracking.
Google’s pitch for the device relies heavily on the software features you get from a Fitbit Premium subscription, which includes a combination of in-depth health-tracking features and access to fitness classes. You’ll get six months free with a purchase of a new Pixel Watch.
The most important feature is also the main differentiator between the Pixel Watch and the Apple Watch. Google’s watch uses a similar concept of “readiness” as the Oura Ring, taking into account your activity and vitals (heart rate) to give you a “Daily Readiness Score” so you have a sense of whether you should keep working out or take a rest day.
The real test of the Pixel Watch — other than if it’s actually pleasant to wear and use — is if it will be adopted by other Android users. Until now Samsung’s Galaxy Watches were the most reliable option in town, whether you own a Galaxy phone or not. Now that Google has a seemingly compelling alternative, it has another, easier way to popularize the Pixel brand, and maybe even down the road, the opportunity to convert some holdouts.
Price, release date, and preorder — The Pixel Watch will be available for $349.99 for the Bluetooth/Wi-Fi version and $399.99 for the LTE version. Google says you can pre-order the smartwatch today ahead of its release on October 13.
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