Pixel Watch 5 to launch August 12 with a pricier smaller model

Google will announce Pixel Watch 5 on August 12, and a new leak already points to pre-orders on August 13 and a release on August 20. The bigger news in that leak is the price, and it changes the calculation between the two sizes.

The smaller model takes a price hit

According to DealLabs, US pricing will start at $399 for the 41mm Bluetooth/Wi-Fi model. The LTE version is expected at $499. That would make both smaller models $50 more expensive than their Pixel Watch 4 equivalents at launch.

The 45mm model also appears to be going up, but by less. The Bluetooth/Wi-Fi version is tipped at $429, while the LTE version may land at $529. That would be a $30 increase on both larger versions. Which makes the 45mm model look like the better value on paper.

UK and European pricing follows the same shape. The 41mm model is tipped at £369 or €419 for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and £469 or €519 for LTE. The 45mm model comes in at £399 or €449 for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and £499 or €549 for LTE.

Same design again

As far as design, don’t expect any big changes. Pixel Watch 5 is expected to stick with the same basic format as Pixel Watch 4. That means two case sizes, 41mm and 45mm. So the structure of the range does not look very different.

That is not a bad thing. Google only added the larger 45mm size with Pixel Watch 4, and that finally made the watch a more realistic option for people who wanted more screen and more battery.

FCC filings have already surfaced for four Google wearable models. Which fits the expected two-size, two-connectivity lineup. So we have the leaks plus the regulatory info which makes this info quite credible.

Colours and features

Google Pixel Watch 5 is expected to land in several case colours. Natural Silver and Dark Anthracite are expected across both sizes. Warm Gold may stay limited to the 41mm model, while a new Pyrite finish could appear on both sizes.

There has also been an odd prototype leak, which we wrote about earlier. A device was reportedly found underwater near St. Martin with Pixel Watch 5 branding on the back! The markings shown in the images included heart rate, SpO2, EDA, skin temperature, UWB and IP68 water resistance.

If that is accurate, it looks more like Google is keeping the core sensor set familiar. Which means battery life, performance and software will probably decide whether Pixel Watch 5 feels like a proper step forward.