Google officially announced its first smartwatch at I/O 2022 in May, but only provided a “first look” ahead of the full reveal this fall alongside the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro. 9to5Google has revealed a number of new details since then, and here’s everything we know about the Pixel Watch.
- Original: July 4
- Update 1: September 1
- Update 2: September 20
Design, display, and materials
The Pixel Watch consists of three distinct layers, starting with a domed top glass that curves all the way to the recycled stainless steel sides. According to an early measurement, the circular watch body is around 14mm thick and over 40mm wide, while the actual flat display looks to come in at approximately 30mm wide (or 1.18 inches). Google has not revealed what the display resolution is or what kind of glass protects it.
There’s a bottle cap-shaped crown that rotates and can be pressed at the 3 o’clock position with a button just above it. The case also has a long speaker grill on the left edge and two small circular cutouts.
The top and bottom are home to rather sizable band slots with the 20mm straps attaching through a proprietary mechanism that involves inserting at a tilt and then snapping into place.
Colors and bands
Google has shown the Pixel Watch in three stainless steel colors:
- Silver: Shiny, polished finish
- Black: Nonreflective, a possibly matte finish
- Gold: Darker shade
We reported in June that Google was working on an extensive collection of watch bands, though not all might make it to launch or be made directly by the company:
- Silicone band: Already shown off by Google and very similar to Fitbit’s Infinity Bands
- Fabric band
- Stretch band
- Two leather straps: Differentiated by style and lighter/darker shades
- Link bracelet: Metal
- Milanese-style mesh band: Made of stainless steel in colors that match the three body colors
Pixel Watch specs
9to5Google in May reported that the Pixel Watch is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 9110. It features a co-processor and over 1.5GB of RAM, which should surpass what’s offered on Wear OS today. Meanwhile, the 32GB of storage is double that of existing devices and allows users to store many songs offline.
That chip dates back to 2018 with the Tizen-powered Galaxy Watch, but various tasks should be offloaded to the co-processor. It’s unclear how Google will identify this SoC and whether Tensor branding will be applied.
We’ve also reported that the Pixel Watch has a battery that comes in at just under 300mAh and should last a day. Charging is handled via a magnetic puck with USB-C on the other end.
Besides Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, Google will offer an LTE cellular model of the Pixel Watch. Other known specs include built-in GPS and 50 meters of water resistance.
Fitbit and health on the Pixel Watch
A big focus of the Pixel Watch is health, fitness, and exercise. There’s of course the Fitbit integration that offers a dashboard view of all your stats – just like on existing Fitbit devices, while Google Fit will also be offered.
The sensor array underneath the Pixel Watch looks identical to that of the Fitbit Luxe and Charge 5. There’s a heart rate sensor and hardware support for SpO2 (blood oxygen) and ECG (electrocardiogram) readings.
Wear OS and apps
The Pixel Watch runs Wear OS 3, but it remains to be seen how much Google customizes the experience. It will be noticeably different from what Samsung has done (One UI Watch) and could be closer to the upcoming Montblanc launch or Fossil upgrades.
For example, there should be a simple list of apps instead of a circular bubble launcher, while you can swipe up to see notifications. Pulling down for quick settings is unchanged, while tiles are accessed by swiping vertically from the clock face.
We already previewed some watch faces that Google is working on. The designs span digital and analog with most offering complication slots, like for Fitbit.
Google Assistant will certainly be a big focus, while there’s Google Pay/Wallet tap-to-pay and Maps navigation. All those applications exist today, but the company also showed off a Google Home app with a feed of gadgets and the ability to get front door alerts.
Your Pixel Watch can unlock your Android device and Chromebook, while there will be a “Google Pixel Watch” companion app. Fast Pair should also be available to speed up connecting and switching Bluetooth headphones.
Pixel Watch price and launch
At the end of August, we reported that Google is pricing the cellular Pixel Watch with LTE at $399 in the US. Since then, we learned that the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth model costs $349.99. Additionally, it will be available in the Black case with Obsidian (black) band, Silver/Chalk (white-beige), and Gold/Hazel (green-ish). The default LTE case/band configurations are almost the same except for Silver/Charcoal (gray).
This could change before the fall launch, which we can confirm is happening alongside Pixel 7 and 7 Pro availability without a gap, if everything goes according to plan. Carrier deals should bring the price down, and we’ve already spotted evidence that Google Fi is readying support.
The Bluetooth/Wi-Fi Pixel Watch will be cheaper, but so far Google’s offering is slightly more expensive than Samsung’s entry Galaxy Watch 5 ($279). One thing to note is the use of recycled stainless steel, which is usually a premium material, though sapphire glass is not being used.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
