Google unveils the Pixel Watch with a round glass cover that curves all the way to the metal sides, Fitbit integration, and a clickable crown, coming this fall
Google’s initial Pixel Watch reveal established a smartwatch built around a curved circular design, a crown-based control and Fitbit integration. The product reached retail later that year as a 41mm device with Fitbit health features, as covered in the launch announcement.
The follow-on coverage shows Google treating the watch as a continuing hardware line: Pixel Watch 2 retained a $349 starting price while focusing on battery, processing and heart-rate sensing, and Pixel Watch 3 later added a second size.
First-order effects
Google gains a fall hardware launch that ties its smartwatch design directly to Fitbit’s health-feature stack.
Fitbit becomes the named health integration within Google’s watch offering, rather than a separate wearable proposition in this launch.
Second-order effects
Pixel Watch buyers are offered a single Google-branded device that combines Wear OS controls with Fitbit-based health features, concentrating Google’s wearable pitch in one product.
The later move to Pixel Watch 2 and then two Pixel Watch 3 sizes makes iteration on battery, sensors, displays and fit the operating cadence for Google’s watch business.
Third-order effects
If that cadence continues, Google’s wearable strategy shifts from a one-off Fitbit integration to a sustained Pixel Watch family, with health features and hardware refinements advancing together.
The addition of multiple sizes by Pixel Watch 3 suggests smartwatch segmentation will increasingly be handled within the Pixel Watch line rather than through a single standard case.
The trend: Google is building Pixel Watch into a recurring wearable platform that couples Fitbit health features with successive hardware upgrades and broader size choice.
GooglePixelWatch coming this fall 🎉* 💪 Track health and fitness goals w/ @Fitbit** 🏡 Control your home w/ the Google Home app for Wear OS*** 🗣 Access Google Assistant, hands-free**** #GoogleIO https://twitter.com/...
Interesting to see that @montblanc_world remains committed to @WearOSbyGoogle. I'd assume this will be powered by the @Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear platform but it's targeting a very specific niche market segment... https://twitter.com/...
The new Pixel Watch is seriously lust worthy design. It's badly needed to offset the huge incentive to stay on iPhone because of Apple Watch. Can't come soon enough! https://twitter.com/...
As expected: announcement of Pixel Watch, “first wearOS watch designed wholly by Google.” Essentially: “we agree that copying Apple Watch overall mojo as closely as possible is a good idea.” Thank God. Available in the Fall...no prices released yet.
Great #WearOS by Google 3 announcement today during the #GoogleIO. We are looking into the future with excitement. #Summit #MontblancTech https://twitter.com/...
Circular watches just look better. I like my Apple Watch, and I totally understand the downside of the circular watch [the text DOES look awkward, especially when scrolling], but I'd love for it to at least be an option https://twitter.com/...
I REALLY want wearOS & Pixel Watch to succeed. Android needs a watch with Apple Watch's ambition and integration. But I've bought more than one failed wearOS device. If I don't like the Pixel Watch, I'm just buying an Apple Watch & accepting the hassle of using it with Android.
Excited by the potential of the announcements today (particularly Pixel Watch, which is desperately needed). Gotta say though, I'm let down by the timetables here. Watch not until fall and Tablet over a year out? Google wearables and large-format Android need help ... yesterday. …
“One change that happened for Fitbit, as we've gone into Google, is we see the health experience that we're creating well beyond just our device,” #Fitbit co-founder @parkjames tells @jetscott. “We want to extend it to more surfaces.” https://www.cnet.com/... via @CNET