nearly a decade after Google launched its Android Wear smartwatch platform—now called Wear—a Google-made watch is finally here. It's called the Pixel Watch. The company shared full details about it during its Made by Google event in New York City today (Google's first in-person hardware event since the pandemic). The smartwatch debuted alongside the new Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro smartphones, which you can read about here.
There's been a steady drip of news about the Pixel Watch since Google teased it back in May at its I/O developer conference, but you probably want to know what it costs more than anything. The Pixel Watch costs $349 for the Wi-Fi-only model and $399 if you want the version with cellular capability. That is $50 less and $100 less than the equivalent models of the Apple Watch Series 8. Speaking of Apple, these Pixel Watches lack any sort of iPhone compatibility. Google's taking a page from Apple and limiting the Pixel Watch for use with Android phones only.
Watch This
I've seen the Pixel Watch briefly in person, and to me—as someone who prefers round smartwatches—it's arguably the prettiest full-featured smartwatch I've ever seen. The case comes in one size—41 millimeters—and is made of 80 percent recycled stainless steel. Off the bat, that makes the Pixel Watch more durable than most smartwatches, which are usually crafted out of aluminum. It comes in matte black, polished silver, or champagne gold. (Each Pixel Watch also comes with Google's Active band, but more on straps in a minute.)
It's the glass protecting the AMOLED screen that makes this smartwatch look unique. It's domed and bends the light, not unlike a Junghans Max Bill. It's very elegant, but it also looks fragile. It doesn't help that Google is using Corning's Gorilla Glass 5 to protect the display instead of a sapphire crystal, which offers more scratch resistance. However, Sandeep Waraich, director of product management for Pixel Watch, says over the years the team has put the watch through its paces and is confident in its durability (though he doesn't recommend using it for rugged sports like rock climbing). It's rated to 5 ATM water resistance, which means it can withstand underwater depths of about 50 meters.
There's one button on the right side above the haptic crown, which you can use to scroll through the interface. Then there's the band. Google is going the Apple route with proprietary straps. It will eventually open up to third-party manufacturers, but for now, you have to get your watch strap from Google. While your default option is a sweat-resistant Active band (which comes in large and small sizes), there are several other options, from a woven yarn strap to a leather band. Metal mesh and metal link bands are launching next spring.
Google's reason for launching with a proprietary strap system is that it didn't want to disrupt the watch's circular case by introducing the lugs needed to fasten a traditional watch strap. It decided the best approach to preserve the watch's look was to design a strap system that attached to the top and bottom of the case using internal mechanisms. I watched Waraich snap the strap on and off and it looked simple, but it's still a shame you're limited to Google's initial selection of straps. (Remember Mode?) Curiously, some of Google's strap options do have metal fasteners that nestle next to the case, where they approximate lugs.
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Like the new Samsung Galaxy Watch5, the base of the Pixel Watch is curved for a more comfortable fit on the wrist. Google says this design also ensures the sensors will capture more accurate data. The curved shape is also apparently why you won't be able to recharge this smartwatch on the flat pad of any Qi wireless charger. Again, like the Apple Watch, Google's using a proprietary magnetic charger—in this case, one made of 50 percent recycled plastic.
There's GPS on board, a microphone, a speaker, and NFC capability for tap-to-pay transactions through Google Wallet. It's powered by a 294-mAh battery cell that Google claims will last 24 hours. I haven't tested the watch yet, but that claimed time is a little better than the 18 hours Apple offers on the Apple Watch. Still, the Pixel Watch is decidedly a wearable you'll need to recharge once a day. Thirty minutes of charging will get you to 50 percent, and it'll take 80 minutes to go fully back to 100 percent. That's not very fast. The Apple Watch Series 8 can fast-charge to 80 percent in 45 minutes.
The Pixel Watch uses Google's Wear 3 operating system, which launched last year. Google has been adding new features on other Wear 3 watches this past year, like adding Google Assistant and Google Maps to the Galaxy Watch, all of which you'll find here. That includes a Google Home app to control your smart-home gadgets and YouTube Music for music streaming. There are a growing number of third-party apps too, like Spotify, but it's still a shorter list than what you'll find on the Apple Watch.
There's a selection of watch faces you can choose from and customize on the watch or in the Pixel Watch app that runs on your phone, and thankfully, you're still able to access third-party watch faces via the Play Store if you don't find something you like. There's a fun Google Photos tie-in here that lets you set your favorite photo as a watch face, not unlike the Portrait watch face on the Apple Watch.
A Tale of Two Fits
Google's housekeeping within its portfolio of services has historically been sloppy; it has sometimes offered two similar options when one would do. So in classic Google fashion, the Pixel Watch has two separate fitness apps built in: Fitbit and Google Fit. (Google acquired Fitbit in 2019.) It's worth noting that Google had to make some concessions to acquire Fitbit, namely that the company could not use the health data of Fitbit users for advertising purposes, and that the company needs to keep Fitbit and Google data separate. To that end, on the Pixel Watch, Google says Fitbit data is stored locally on the device and on Fitbit servers, and it's kept “separate from other Google user data.”
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Google really wants you to just use Fitbit, but Google Fit is there for anyone who prefers it. If you opt for Fitbit, you'll be able to track the usual health metrics like heart rate, blood oxygen level, electro-cardio activity, and sleep activity, plus you'll also be able to access your Daily Readiness score, a Fitbit feature that suggests what kind of exercise your body can take for the day.
To access a more comprehensive set of fitness features, you'll need to pony up for a Fitbit Premium membership, which unlocks fitness and health data analysis, lifestyle guidance, access to over 1,000 workouts, and over 400 mindfulness sessions. The service costs $10 a month ($80 annually), though Google is bundling in a six-month membership with each Pixel Watch purchase.
Underpinning these health-tracking features is the heart rate sensor. Waraich emphasized here that the Pixel Watch's sensor is purportedly very accurate thanks to some optimization work Google and Fitbit did with the Samsung chipset powering the watch. The heart-rate tracking process was tweaked so that it relies purely on the chip's coprocessor, which sips far less battery than the primary processor. This makes the sensor much more efficient and, according to Waraich, capable of delivering “highly accurate” results 24/7 without eating up battery life. Again, I haven't yet tested the watch, so I don't know whether the sensor's performance matches those claims.
The Pixel Watch can dial 911 or alert your trusted contacts with Emergency SOS, though you'll have to enable it manually—it's not like Apple's new Emergency SOS that will automatically detect if you've been in a crash. (Google does have a crash detection feature in its Pixel phones though.) All this said, Google says it's bringing fall detection later this year, which will auto-dial emergency responders if you're unresponsive. Considering how long this smartwatch has been in development, it's strange that this feature isn't available at launch.
World Clock
You'll be disappointed to hear that the Pixel Watch is only launching in nine countries: the US, Canada, Ireland, UK, France, Germany, Japan, Australia, and Taiwan. These are markets where Google has seen success with its Pixel phones, and they are potential safe bets for the Pixel Watch. Preorders are live now, and it goes on sale on October 13. In addition to the six months of Fitbit Premium, Google is also bundling three months of YouTube Music Premium with each purchase.
So far, the Pixel Watch feels like it's playing catch-up with the rest of the industry, and there's no one killer feature that makes it stand out above the rest—unless you're deep in Fitbit land and have been waiting for a proper Fitbit-powered smartwatch. Still, it looks pretty, and that might be all the reason you need to slap it on your wrist.
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