Google’s annual developer conference is coming soon. With it will come the rumors about the new devices that the American giant plans to launch. Among these rumors, one of them stands out clearly: these are the rumors concerning the upcoming release of the first connected watch from Google, which should undoubtedly be called the Pixel Watch.
This connected object is attracting a lot of attention for a (good) reason: a pre-production sample was left – accidentally? – in a restaurant and photos were later published online. Below is everything you need to know about the Pixel Watch.
What will she be called?
- For years there have been rumors that this watch will be dubbed the Pixel Watch.
We’ve heard of a supposed Pixel Watch since 2016. It looks like Google is now – finally! – ready to launch its first connected watch. This watch will be called Pixel Watch to line up with the rest of its Pixel hardware offerings. That said, until someone from the Google team takes the stage and names the product, we don’t know for sure what Google is going to name the watch we’re talking about.
What will the Pixel Watch look like?
- We have a good idea, thanks to a device left in a restaurant.
- It will be minimalist and look like all other Google devices.
You may have heard this story before. A tech giant employee gains access to an unreleased product and, while out on a date, accidentally drops it in a restaurant. Much like Apple’s iPhone 4, Google’s Pixel Watch debuted after it was forgotten and someone sent photos to Android Central.
As rumors have been saying for some time, the Pixel Watch will be round, have no bezel, a rotating crown, and buttons on the side. There appears to be a heart rate sensor on the bottom of the watch. According to specialist site Android Central, the Pixel Watch will have some form of proprietary watch band connection similar to how the Apple Watch works.
What will be the features of the Pixel Watch?
- It will apparently run on Google’s WearOS 3.
- It may have FitBit integration.
There’s still a lot we don’t know about the Pixel Watch. Outside of the restaurant incident, Google has done a good job of keeping it a secret. Not to mention, we’ve heard rumors of an imminent launch anytime since 2016. We can, however, make a few guesses about the specs of the Pixel Watch. However, as long as it is not announced, nothing is engraved in stone. Presumably, the Pixel Watch will run WearOS 3, just like Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4. The Pixel Watch will have Google Assistant, unlike the Watch 4, which has yet to receive an update to bring the personal assistant to the wearable.
Google bought FitBit and is reportedly working on integrating its health features into WearOS 3, and Android Central says its sources have confirmed that FitBit integration is a go for the Pixel Watch. You can expect to see watch faces that will display your FitBit and other health data. Apart from these guesses, we don’t know much more. Presumably it will come with all the health and fitness features found in modern smartwatches. Sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring and other similar fitness features, as well as the standard WearOS 3 suite of apps and capabilities should be included.
When will the Pixel Watch launch, and how much will it cost?
- The Google I/O conference takes place on May 11: we may know more then.
- The price of this watch is not yet fixed, but we can expect it to compete with the Apple Watch.
Rumors about when we will officially see the Pixel Watch are rife. Jon Prosser, who has a mixed history of leaking information from Apple and Google, says Google will announce the Pixel 6a and hint at the Pixel Watch during the Google I/ Oh May 11. The watch will be fully announced and will launch alongside the Pixel 7 lineup in October.
However, with units already being tested in public, it’s not out of the question that we could see a full announcement at Google I/O – including a release date. Google has used the developer conference to announce its new hardware in previous years. As for the cost, this is another element on which no one has really communicated so far. I guess it will cost about the same as an Apple Watch or Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4. There would be an LTE version in the mix, so expect that to come at a higher price for the extra connectivity.
Source: ZDNet.com