Google Pixel Watch reportedly to be teased in May for an October launch
The Google Pixel Watch will reportedly be teased at Google’s I/O developer conference in May, ahead of an official launch in October.
Google I/O is an annual developer conference held by Google in Mountain View, California. “I/O” stands for Input/Output. This year it is due to be held on May 11th and 12th.
According to a well known tipster Jon Prossier, Google will unveil the Pixel 6a smartphone at the gathering and will use this opportunity to tease Pixel Watch. However, the search giant’s first smartwatch will not properly drop until October, with the unveiling of the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.
A bit like the movie Groundhog day
Yes, it’s another “Pixel Watch” article. Rumours just won’t go away.
In January 2022 there was a rekindling of expectations that we might get an official Pixel Watch reveal soon. Although the search giant has been offering its own Wear OS software platform, it has never jumped on the smartwatch bandwagon itself.
Rumors have been circulating about the Google timepiece for some 3-4 years now. However, talk seems to have died down in 2020. In late 2019 we ran a story on a Japanese newspaper that hinted Google will release a smartwatch to compete with the Apple Watch. But as with all the previous leaks, nothing materialized.
Then we received some fresh new info – this time came from the colleagues over at Business Insider (pay-walled). The device is being developed under the codename “Rohan” according to internal documents they have seen.
Yes, we’ve been here many times before. “Credible leaks’ of an imminent Google Pixel Watch reveal. Speculating on wearable tech coming our way is a favorite past time of some folks, present company included. So if nothing else, it makes interesting reading.
Business Insider said that unlike the Apple Watch, this will be a circular shaped device. The aim is to build something that “would be comfortable to wear for at least 90% of the population.” So think lots of sizes, strap options, etc.
The thing will predominantly be a health and fitness focused device with the usual sensors such as heart rate, so nothing too compelling by the sounds of it. The timepiece will apparently require daily charging which will come as a disappointment to many. Charging the watch is said to be pretty slow in its current iteration. The device is expected to be a direct Apple Watch competitor that will retail around a similar price-point.
According to the report, Google is letting employees outside of the immediate development team test the Pixel Watch. Feedback sessions are on-going and it is expected the device will get an official reveal in 2022. A few employees have told Business Insider a Q1 launch is possible. Now that we are well into March, it is clear that info was off the mark.
What seemed more credible is something leakster Jon Prosser said. He came out with an actual release date about a month ago. And its not in Q1. It is Google I/O developers conference. He has amended his prediction today by saying the device will be teased at the gathering, but the official launch will come a few months later.
Alleged images of Google Pixel Watch
Jon Prossier has been at the forefront of Pixel Watch rumours. About a year ago he even posted a few alleged renders of the mythical timepiece. They are apparently based on the real thing. Just like the Business Insider article, he mentions the codename “Rohan.
Mind you, the renders you see in this article are not the real thing. Instead, they are created by an artist based on images that Prosser received. They are said to recreate both the hardware and software.
Prossier says this is only a teaser. He promised, at the time, to release more images and videos in the near future. However, we’ve seen nothing since his original post in the Spring of 2021.
Unlike the Apple Watch, the pics shows a circular device with a crown on the right-hand side. The latter might be a rotating crown, physical button or combination of both. The timepiece is rather smart looking and practically has no bezels on the sides. It will definitely be one of the best looking watches out there.
If these are images of a device in the making, the Google Pixel Watch could eventually get an official reveal. Then again, it could be a device that the search giant worked on before but never saw the light of day.
Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets
Prosser said at the time, that the device is scheduled for October. In fairness, he did add that the project could be late in which case the watch would not be unveiled until 2022. Now it seems we are likely to see another delay.
Fitbit is onboard now
In any case we are curious to see what happens on the wearables front with Fitbit and Google. Fitbit has confirmed that it is working on a fully-fledged smartwatch with the search giant.
And let’s not forget Wear OS. Google now has both its own and Fitbit’s operating system under its belt. It would be a huge blow to Wear OS if the mythical Pixel Watch ran on anything other than its long-struggling operating system.
Business Insider says the watch being developed under codename Rohan will be Google-branded. So whatever WearOS device Fitbit is working on will be a separate timepiece.
Most of us have given up hope on ever seeing a Google Pixel Watch. We’ve had our hopes dashed too many times in the past. The hope remains that the company will use its linkup with Fitbit to push the device through the finish line. It would make sense. To remind, the search giant snapped up Fitbit with the transaction receiving the necessary regulatory approvals last Spring. Fitbit is now officially part of Google.
Let’s hope someone at Google finally remembers they bought Fitbit! Once can only hope. A Google-made watch would shake-up the wearables space which is currently dominated by only a few players.
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The watch disparity is the worst thing about the Google ecosystem. I wish they’d let us know definitively so we can switch to iOS now.