We have been hearing rumours about Google's very own smartwatch for a while now. It was first leaked in 2018 and was rumored to release with Pixel 4 last year. But as we all know it didn't launch in 2019. It also wasn't announced this year alongside the Pixel 5 and 4a 5G. That raises the question if the smartwatch is still under works at Google? But a number of patents, improvements in WearOS and acquisitions in the wearable space like Fitbit suggests Google is still working on the device.
Google Pixel Watch will be the first smartwatch by Google (if it really launches) running Google's very own WearOS. Though WearOS is not as enriched or as fast as WatchOS, we still hope Google figures it out and improves it. With Google's own hardware we can certainly expect between integration with their ecosystem. Previously it was reported to have a Qualcomm processor. But now we can see it coming with Google's own chipset as they are also rumored to be used from 2021.
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Design & Specification
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| Image credit: James Tsai |
We don't know much about the design of the watch as of now. It was previously rumored to be circular in shape. According to a report by German publication WinFuture, Google is working on three Pixel Watch models, code-named Ling, Triton and Sardine.
Moreover, ET News previously stated that Google has placed a large order from Samsung for body movement tracking sensors.
We can expect to see Soli chipset in the smartwatch. Though it didn't make much sense in Pixel 4 aside for the face recognition, it may work well in a smartwatch which has a smaller display compared to a smartphone. A recent spotted patent by U.S. Patent Office suggested that the smartwatch uses an optical sensor to detect gestures made with a wearer’s fingers, wrist or arm. The gestures would need to be carried out using the hand or arm of the user. One of the gestures could include making a fist to launch a feature (such as Google assistant or any app) and opening the fist to dismiss it.
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Price and release date
We can expect it to arrive as early as 2021 alongside Google Pixel 6. But it's just a speculation. As of the price, we don't expect it to be as expensive as the Apple watch. It could fall in the $200-$400 price range depending on size and LTE variants. This is also a speculation based on what we know about Google’s pricing strategy. Google could offer both phone and watch together at a reasonable price.
We hope the Pixel Watch can be a worthy rival to the Apple Watch and can finally make Android watches a viable option for the users.
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