 | This articlemay incorporate text from alarge language model. It may includehallucinated information,copyright violations, claims notverified in cited sources,original research, orfictitious references. Any such material should beremoved, and content with anunencyclopedic tone should be rewritten.(December 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
 Worn on the left wrist, with a Polished Silver case and a Charcoal Active Band | |
| Brand | |
|---|---|
| Type | Smartwatch |
| Series | Pixel |
| First released | October 13, 2022; 3 years ago (2022-10-13) |
| Availability by region | October 2022
|
| Units shipped | 880,000 (Q4 2022) |
| Successor | Pixel Watch 2 |
| Compatible networks | |
| Dimensions | |
| Weight | 36 g (1.3 oz) |
| Operating system | Wear OS 3.5 Upgradable toWear OS 5.1 |
| System-on-chip | |
| Memory | 2 GBSDRAM |
| Storage | 32 GBeMMC flash |
| Battery | 294 mAh (lithium-ion) |
| Display | AMOLED at 320 ppi withDCI-P3 color |
| Sound |
|
| Connectivity | |
| Data inputs |
|
| Water resistance | 5ATM |
| Codename | Rohan |
| Other | Custom 3DGorilla Glass 5 |
| Website | Pixel Watch |
| References | [1] |
ThePixel Watch is aWear OS-basedsmartwatch designed, developed, and marketed byGoogle as part of theGoogle Pixel product line. First previewed in May 2022 during theGoogle I/O keynote, it features a round dome-shaped display as well as deep integration withFitbit, which Google acquired in 2021. Two Pixel-branded smartwatches had been in development at Google by July 2016, but were canceled ahead of their release due to hardware chiefRick Osterloh's concerns that they did not fit well with other Pixel devices. Development on a new Pixel-branded watch began shortly after Google acquired Fitbit.
The Pixel Watch was officially announced on October 6, 2022, at the annualMade by Google event, and was released in the United States on October 13. It was succeeded by thePixel Watch 2 in 2023, which brought incremental improvements to performance, health tracking, and battery life.
In September 2024, Google introduced thePixel Watch 3, offering two case sizes - 41 mm and 45 mm, for the first time, smaller display bezels, and higher brightness. Most notably, it introducedLoss-of-Pulse Detection (LoPD), an FDA-cleared feature capable of identifying cardiac arrest in real time and automatically contacting emergency services, setting a new standard for wearable health safety.
Throughout 2025, Google continued improving the Pixel Watch experience via regular software updates. TheJune 2025 update added features such as Wallet Express Transit support, new watch faces, performance enhancements, and the Android Security Patch for June. AJuly 2025 update addressed emergency call issues on LTE models in certain regions and introduced new privacy options forGoogle Wallet, along with pinned Home controls for faster access.
ThePixel Watch 4 is expected to launch at the Made by Google event onAugust 20, 2025, alongside the Pixel 10 series. Early leaks suggest it will feature thinner bezels, faster charging (50% in 15 minutes), potentially a newSnapdragon W5 Gen 2 or custom RISC‑V chip, and the debut ofWear OS 6 with deeper integration of Google’sGemini AI technologies. The watch is expected to maintain its premium position with prices starting around $349–$399 for Wi-Fi and $399–$449 for LTE models, and will likely include bundled services such as Fitbit Premium and YouTube Premium trials.
In July 2016,Google was reportedly developing twosmartwatches, codenamed "Swordfish" and "Angelfish", which were to be powered by theAndroid Wear operating system and expected to be released under theNexus brand name.[2] According toBusiness Insider, these watches were canceled ahead of the 2016Made by Google launch event due to concerns from Google hardware chiefRick Osterloh that they did not sync well with the company's newPixel devices; the smartwatches were eventually "salvaged" byLG and released as theLG Watch Style andLG Watch Sport in February 2017.[3][4] Android Wear was rebranded as Wear OS in March 2018.[5] In August, Wear OS director of engineering Miles Barr dispelled rumors that the company planned to release a Pixel-branded smartwatch that year.[6]
In January 2019, smartwatch manufacturerFossil Group agreed to sell some of itsintellectual property on smartwatch technology to Google for $40 million, as well as transfer a portion of itsresearch and development team over.[7] In November, Google announced that it would acquire smartwatch andfitness tracker makerFitbit for $2.1 billion,[8] which Osterloh stated would pave the way for Google-developedwearables.[9] The acquisition was completed in January 2021 following a prolonged investigation by theU.S. Department of Justice,[10][11] with Fitbit absorbed into Google's hardware division.[12] Fitbit co-founderJames Park was subsequently appointed head of Google's wearables division.[13] During the 2021Google I/O keynote in May, Google announced Wear OS 3, a version of Wear OS co-developed withSamsung and Fitbit which incorporates elements of the former'sTizen operating system.[14][15][16]
At the May 2021 Google I/O keynote, Google introducedWear OS 3, a major update co-developed withSamsung and Fitbit that combined Wear OS with elements from Samsung’sTizen platform.[13][14][15] This laid the groundwork for future Google-branded smartwatches, starting with thePixel Watch series.
In October, Osterloh revealed that Google and Fitbit were in the process of developing a Wear OS-powered smartwatch.[17][18] Two months later,Business Insider reported that a Pixel-branded smartwatch codenamed "Rohan" was being targeted for a 2022 release, featuring a roundbezel-less design, integration with Fitbit, proprietary watch bands, and health-tracking capabilities.[19][20] Evidence unearthed that month indicated that the watch would be powered by either Samsung'sExynossystem-on-chip (SoC) or Google's ownTensor chip, the latter of which had recently debuted on the company'sPixel 6 smartphone line.[21] In April 2022, the "Fitbit" category was renamed "Watches" on the onlineGoogle Store, in anticipation of the Pixel Watch's impending launch.[22] The same month, Google filed atrademark for the "Pixel Watch" name with theU.S. Patent and Trademark Office,[23] while three models of the smartwatch were approved by theBluetooth Special Interest Group.[24] A prototype of the Pixel Watch was found at a restaurant in the U.S., an incident which drew parallels toGizmodo's leak ofApple'siPhone 4 in 2010.[25][26]
Osterloh unveiled a preview of the Pixel Watch on May 11, during the 2022 Google I/O keynote.[27][28][29] In an interview withCNET, Park stated that there were no plans to shut down Fitbit, adding that theGoogle Fit app would co-exist with Fitbit on the Pixel Watch.[30] Google CEOSundar Pichai was seen wearing a Pixel Watch in September during an interview at the Code 2022 conference.[31][32] Google officially announced the Pixel Watch on October 6, alongside thePixel 7 andPixel 7 Pro smartphones, at the annual Made by Google event.[33] It became available for pre-orders on the same day, before being released in nine countries on October 13.[34] When asked why Google waited so long before launching the device, Osterloh cited their acquisition of Fitbit and its expansive health platform as the primary catalyst which convinced Google to greenlight the Pixel Watch, adding that the company was committed to first-party wearables.[35]
The Pixel Watch sports a round watch face with a domed design, physical crown, and watch frame made ofrecycled stainless steel attached to custom-designed bands.[36] 18 families of watch faces are available, each of which is highly customizable. It was available in four case–band color pairs:[37]
.svg) | .svg) | .svg) | .svg) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case | Champagne Gold | Matte Black | Polished Silver | Polished Silver |
| Active Band | Hazel | Obsidian | Charcoal | Chalk |
The Pixel Watch is available in two models, one with and one without support for cellular connectivity.[38] Its case has a diameter of 41 mm (1.6 in) and aGorilla Glass 5 display. Powered by Samsung's Exynos 9110 SoC alongside theARM Cortex-M33 co-processor, it contains a 294 mAh battery and 2 GB of RAM, as well as multiple sensors and wireless technologies.[39] The watch features aUSB-C charging mechanism manufactured byCompal Electronics.[40] Due to the base's curved design, it can only be wirelessly charged with Google's proprietary magnetic charger,[41] though some users were able to charge the device using otherQi chargers or via reverse wireless charging on their phones.[42]
At launch, the Pixel Watch was only compatible with proprietary bands designed by Google, though the company stated that it planned to partner with third parties to develop additional bands in the future.[43][44] By default, each Pixel Watch comes with a proprietary Active Band, with several other proprietary band options available at an added cost.[45][46] Counterpoint Research calculated that the LTE version of the Pixel Watch cost an estimatedUS$123 to manufacture.[47]
Since launch, the originalPixel Watch has received multiple Wear OS updates, including the rollout of Wear OS 5.1 based onAndroid 15 in mid-2025. These updates introduced features like new watch faces, Express Transit payments, improved step tracking, enhanced stability, and configurable smart home controls. As of June 2025, Pixel Watch Gen 1, Gen 2, and Gen 3 all run Wear OS 5.1, with updates arriving on both Wi-Fi andLTE variants, except for limited regional delays.
The Pixel Watch line-up has since expanded. ThePixel Watch 2, released in October 2023, retained the 41 mm size and introduced a larger 306 mAh battery and a skin temperature sensor. ThePixel Watch 3, launched in August 2024, brought a new 45 mm model with a 420 mAh battery and enhanced display brightness up to 2,000 nits. It also featured upgraded emergency functionality, including automatic emergency calling triggered by loss of pulse detection.
In 2025, Google is preparing to launch the Pixel Watch 4, expected at its Made by Google event in late August. Leaks suggest the new generation will offer two sizes again: 41 mm and 45 mm, with respective battery capacities of approximately 327 mAh and 459 mAh. The Watch 4 is rumoured to support a redesignedwireless charging interface that eliminates pogo pins in favour of a side-contact system, possibly enabling faster charging and compatibility with reverse wireless charging. Display brightness is expected to reach up to 3,000 nits, with narrower bezels contributing to a sleeker aesthetic. Internally, the Watch 4 may retain theSnapdragon W5 Gen 1 chip with an enhancedco-processor supporting AI tasks, particularly through deeper Gemini Assistant integration withinWear OS 6. Other notable features expected include respiratory emergency detection, satellite-basedSOS messaging, and improved health monitoring via SpO₂ and heart rate sensors.
Despite hardware changes in newer generations, Google has maintained band compatibility across models and introduced more repairable designs with each iteration. The Pixel Watch series continues to evolve, combining minimal aesthetics with Google’s ecosystem integrations and increasingly advanced health, safety, and AI-powered features.
The Pixel Watch shipped withWear OS 3.5,[48] and features deep integration with Fitbit.[49] It is compatible withAndroid smartphones runningAndroid 8.0 or above,[50] and is accompanied by a Pixel Watchmobile app available for download on thePlay Store.[51][52]iPhones are not supported.[53] Google added fall detection capabilities in February 2023.[54] It was updated toWear OS 4.0 in October 2023.[55]
In September 2024, thePixel Watch 3 was introduced, debuting an advanced safety feature calledLoss-of-Pulse Detection, which automatically contacts emergency services if no pulse is detected and the user is unresponsive. This feature, approved by the FDA, remains exclusive to the third-generation model. In March 2025,Google expanded health and wellness tools with the introduction ofAuto-Bedtime Mode, initially launched on the Pixel Watch 3 and later rolled out to older models like the Pixel Watch 2. This mode intelligently detects when the user is asleep, silences notifications, saves battery, and restores previous settings upon waking.
By April 2025, all three Pixel Watch generations, including the original, were updated toWear OS 5.1, based on Android 15. This update introduced new features such as an on-devicepassword manager, support for playing audio directly through the watch speaker, and significant improvements to activity tracking accuracy, including a fix for previously reported step-counting issues.
Google has announced that Wear OS 6 will still support the 1st gen Pixel Watch.[56]
ActorSimu Liu, who previously served asbrand ambassador for the Pixel 6 series in Canada,[57] participated in anadvertising campaign developed by Cossette for the Pixel Watch in May 2023.[58]
Following the announcement of the Pixel Watch andPixel Tablet at the 2022 Google I/O, Jon Porter ofThe Verge opined that Google was taking a subtle approach at Apple's "walled garden" ecosystem strategy.[59] This was echoed byInternational Data Corporation research director Ramon Llamas, who believed that Google was aiming to become a "head-on competitor to Apple".[60] Kate Kozuch ofTom's Guide praised the watch's sleek visual design.[61] Victoria Song ofThe Verge quelled fears over the watch's reported 24-hourbattery life, declaring it was "decent" when compared to similar smartwatches.[62]
The Pixel Watch was positively received upon its launch. Lisa Eadicicco ofCNET and Cherlynn Low ofEngadget lauded its design and health features, with Eadicicco likening it to "a hybrid of Fitbit and the Apple Watch", but both criticized the battery life.[63][64] Song called the Pixel Watch "good-but-not-yet-great".[65]Wired's Julian Chokkattu echoed these sentiments, but argued that its "accuracy, elegance, and comfort" compensated its shortcomings.[66]CNN Underscored reviewer Max Buondonno praised the Pixel Watch's sleek design and the performance of Wear OS 3.5, but felt that the battery life was subpar and the screen was not large enough.[67] Nicole Nguyen ofThe Wall Street Journal did not find the smartwatch particularly astounding and noted several software bugs, but ultimately deemed it a worthy companion to the Pixel phone.[68]
Analyst firm Canalys calculated that Google shipped an estimated 880,000 Pixel Watches during thefourth quarter of 2022, constituting 22 percent of Google's total wearable sales, which include Fitbit products. The Pixel Watch's launch allowed Google to obtain 8 percent of the wearablemarket share, jumping 16 percent from fourth place to second place, behind Apple.[69] The Pixel Watch Android app had amassed more than 500,000 downloads by February 2023.[70]
The Pixel Watch was succeeded by thePixel Watch 2 in October 2023.[71]
| Smartphones |
| ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computers |
| ||||||
| Wearables | |||||||
| People | |||||||
| Related | |||||||
