It only functions with Android phones and costs $349. The rest of the information is provided below.
IMAGERY: GOOGLE
A Google-made watch has finally arrived nearly a decade after Google introduced its Android Wear wearable technology, which is now known as Wear. It goes by the name Pixel Watch. Today’s Made by Google event in New York City, Google’s first physical hardware event since the epidemic, including a thorough explanation of the product. The new Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro smartphones, which you can read about here, launched with the smartwatch.
Since Google teased the Pixel Watch at its I/O developer conference in May, there has been a constant flow of information regarding the device, but you’re probably most interested in knowing how much it will cost. The price of the Pixel Watch is $349 for the Wi-Fi-only device and $399 for the cellular version. This is $50 and $100 less than the comparable Apple Watch Series 8 versions. Speaking of Apple, none of these Pixel Watches are compatible with the iPhone. Google has decided to restrict the use of the Pixel Watch to Android phones only, taking a cue from Apple.
Watch This
The Pixel Watch is available in gold, silver, or black. IMAGERY: GOOGLE
I had a brief encounter with the Pixel Watch in person, and as someone who favours rounded smartwatches, I believe it to be the most attractive full-featured wristwatch I’ve ever seen. The casing is comprised of 80 percent recycled stainless steel and is available in one size (41 millimetres). That immediately makes the Pixel Watch more robust than the majority of smartwatches, which are typically made of aluminium. It is available in champagne gold, polished silver, or matte black. Each Pixel Watch also includes a Google Active band; however, we’ll talk more about straps in a moment.
The glass covering the AMOLED display gives this smartwatch a distinctive appearance. Similar to a Jungians Max Bill, it has a dome and bends light. Although exceedingly lovely, it also appears to be frail. The fact that Google chose to use Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5 to shield the display rather of a sapphire crystal, which provides greater scratch resistance, does not help. Although he doesn’t advise using it for challenging sports like rock climbing, Sandeep Wraith, director of product management for Pixel Watch, claims that over time, the team has put the watch through its paces and is confident in its durability. It has a 5 ATM water resistance rating, which implies it can survive 50 meters of underwater pressure.
You can utilise the one button on the right side, above the haptic crown, to navigate the user interface. The band comes next. Google is following Apple’s lead by using exclusive straps. In the future, it will be accessible to independent producers, but right now, Google is the only place to purchase watch straps. There are numerous alternatives to the sweat-resistant Active band (which is available in large and small sizes), ranging from a woven yarn strap to a leather band. Bands made of metal mesh and metal links will debut in the spring.
One strap choice is the Active band, which resists perspiration. IMAGERY: GOOGLE
The Pixel Watch’s base is curved to suit the wrist more comfortably, just like the new Samsung Galaxy Watch5. According to Google, this architecture guarantees that the sensors will gather more accurate data. Additionally, it appears that the curved form prevents you from charging this smartwatch on any Qi wireless charger’s flat pad. Google uses a unique magnetic charger that is constructed of 50% recycled plastic, much like the Apple Watch.
Onboard features include GPS, a speaker, a microphone, and NFC for Google Wallet tap-to-pay transactions. A 294-mAh battery cell, which Google promises will last 24 hours, powers the device. That claimed duration is a little longer than the 18 hours Apple gives on the Apple Device, though I haven’t tested the watch yet. However, the Pixel Watch is undoubtedly a wearable that requires a daily recharge. You can reach 50% after 30 minutes of charging, and it will take 80 minutes to fully recover to 100%. That isn’t very quick. In 45 minutes, the Apple Watch Series 8 can fast-charge to 80% of its capacity.
The Google Wear 3 operating system, which debuted last year, is used by the Pixel Watch. You can find all of the new features Google has added to other Wear 3 watches over the past year here, including the addition of Google Assistant and Google Maps to the Galaxy Watch. This includes YouTube Music for streaming music and a Google Home app to operate your smart home devices. Although the number of third-party apps is expanding and includes Spotify, it is still less than what is available for the Apple Watch.
Thankfully, you can still access third-party watch faces via the Play Store if you don’t find one you like from the collection of watch faces you can select and adjust on the watch or in the Pixel Watch app that runs on your phone. A delightful Google Photos integration allows you to set your favourite image as a watch face, much like the Portrait watch face on the Apple Watch.
Two Stories That Fit
In the past, Google’s housekeeping within its service portfolio has been shoddy; occasionally, it has provided two options that are identical when one would suffice. Consequently, the Fitbit and Google Fit fitness applications are both integrated inside the Pixel Watch in typical Google fashion. (In 2019, Google purchased Fitbit.) It’s important to remember that Google had to give up some rights when it bought Fitbit, including the inability to exploit Fitbit customers’ health information for advertising and the requirement to keep Fitbit and Google data separate. To that end, Google claims that Fitbit data on the Pixel Watch is kept “separate from other Google user data” and is stored both locally on the device and on Fitbit servers.
Google really wants you to just use Fitbit, but Google Fit is available for anyone who chooses it. If you choose Fitbit, you’ll be able to monitor the standard health indicators like heart rate, blood oxygen level, electrocardiogram activity, and sleep activity. In addition, you’ll have access to your Daily Readiness score, a feature of Fitbit that advises you on the level of exercise your body can handle for the day.
Spending money on a Fitbit Premium subscription will provide you access to a more extensive range of fitness tools, including lifestyle advice, over 1,000 exercises, and over 400 mindfulness sessions. Even though Google is including a six-month membership with each Pixel Watch purchase, the programme costs $10 per month ($80 annually).
The heart rate sensor serves as the foundation for these health-tracking functionalities. Wraith underlined that certain optimization work Google and Fitbit made with the Samsung processor powering the watch led to the sensor in the Pixel Watch reportedly being quite accurate. Since the coprocessor on the chip consumes far less battery than the main processor, the heart-rate tracking method has been modified such that it only uses it. As a result, the sensor is far more effective and, in Wraith’s estimation, is able to produce “very accurate” data around-the-clock without consuming battery power. Again, I haven’t used the watch yet, so I can’t say whether the sensor performs as promised.
Although you’ll have to explicitly enable it, the Pixel Watch can call 911 or send an Emergency SOS alert to your chosen contacts—unlike Apple’s new Emergency SOS, which can determine whether you’ve been in an accident on its own. (Google’s Pixel phones do, however, include a crash detection feature.) All things considered, Google claims that later this year it will introduce fall detection, which would automatically call emergency services if you are not responding. It’s strange that this feature isn’t offered at launch given how long this smartwatch has been in development.
World Clock
More band choices, all of which are offered for sale by Google. IMAGERY: GOOGLE
The Pixel Watch will only be available in nine nations for purchase at launch: the US, Canada, Ireland, the UK, France, Germany, Japan, Australia, and Taiwan. The Pixel Watch may do well in these markets because Google has had success there with its Pixel phones. It’s currently available for preorder and will go on sale on October 13. Google is including three months of YouTube Music Premium in addition to the six months of Fitbit Premium with each purchase.
Unless you’re deeply rooted in Fitbit land and have been patiently waiting for a genuine Fitbit-powered smartwatch, the Pixel Watch now feels like it’s playing catch-up with the rest of the industry. It also lacks any standout features that would set it apart from the competition. Even yet, it has a nice appearance, which may be sufficient justification for you to slap it on your wrist.
