Google’s Pixel Watch is about to be unveiled: At its I/O developer fair, Google could give viewers a first glimpse of its first own smartwatch. There has been speculation about a Google watch for years, at least since the Fitbit takeover it has been a foregone conclusion.
But it hasn’t come so far: Fitbit continues to build its own watches with its own operating system even after the Google deal, Google has never officially confirmed work on its own watch with the WearOS operating system to this day. So we only know that the Pixel watch exists at all from leaks, insider reports and trademark applications.
When is the Pixel Watch coming?
Recently, the evidence has piled up massively. It is therefore suspected that Google could announce the Pixel Watch at its I/O or at least show it briefly. The I/O is Google’s in-house developer fair, which is usually primarily about software. It is likely that Google will talk about developments in the WearOS 3 watch operating system at the keynote on March 11th. Google could also show the Pixel Watch as a pioneer watch for the OS, which has hardly been used until now.
However, that would not necessarily mean that the release of the Pixel Watch is imminent. Business Insider reports citing company sources, the watch is said to be launching in 2022. A Report from Android Police suggests that sales will start soon: According to this, the Google Watch is already listed in the backend of the shop system of a US mobile network operator. Also the well-known leaker Evan Blass writes on Twitter, the release of the Pixel Watch (codename: Rohan) is imminent. Of the Leaker Jon Prosser writes against itthe Pixel Watch will probably only come together with the Pixel 7 in the fall.
To the Blog 9to5Google also noticed that Google recently remodeled its online store – possibly to prepare for the Pixel Watch listing. Instead of “Fitbit” you can on the Store website now browse for the umbrella term “smartwatches”. It should be noted: It is currently not clear when exactly the Pixel Watch will actually be available, especially since it could possibly be launched later in Europe. However, there are many indications that Google is planning the market launch at least in 2022.
Pixel Watch hardware and design
We actually already know what the Pixel Watch looks like: a prototype of the Google Smartwatch Pixel Watch was apparently found in a US restaurant, supposed photos of it were leaked to the Android magazine Android Central. They show a round watch body with a crown on its side. There’s a good chance the images are genuine: they largely match render images that leakers have posted online in recent months.
The Google Watch is expected to come in three different variants, like one Listing of organization Bluetooth SIG emerges. Accordingly, the variants bear the markings GWT9R, GBZ4S, and GQF4C. No further information can be found in the document. Accordingly, it is not clear what makes the individual models different. 9to5Google guessesit could just be the same watch for different markets.
An Exynos chip from Samsung has been traded as the processor for the smartwatch for months. Samsung and Google announced their watch partnership at last year’s I/O, The two companies combined their Tizen and Wear OS systems. It’s quite possible that Google will also use Samsung’s hardware. Its Exynos W920 chip is considered a hot candidate for the Pixel Watch. It is the current top smartwatch model from Samsung and is also found in the Galaxy Watch 4, for example. That doesn’t necessarily have to stop Google from editing the Samsung SoC and finally calling it a “Tensor” chip – after all, the Tensor Pixel 6 SoC similarities to Samsung’s Exynos technology.
What price is Google asking for the Pixel Watch?
Several leakers suggest that the Google Watch will cost between $300 and $400. This price range seems plausible: As the flagship model among the WearOS watches, the Pixel watch is likely to be one of the more expensive models in the product category. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4, which should have comparable hardware, cost between 369 and 419 euros at launch in its classic version, depending on the version.
At a price of 300 to 400 euros (dollar prices are often converted 1:1 into euros for technology products), the Pixel Watch would not get in the way of the watches in the Fitbit series – their most expensive model, the Fitbit Sense, costs 250 euros.
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