ThePixel Watch 2 is aWear OS-basedsmartwatch designed, developed, and marketed byGoogle as part of theGoogle Pixel product line. It serves as the successor to the first-generationPixel Watch.
The Pixel Watch 2 was officially announced on October 4, 2023, at the annualMade by Google event, and was released in the United States on October 12.
In May 2023,9to5Google reported thatGoogle intended to release a successor to thePixel Watch, aWear OS–powered smartwatch, in October.[3] Two codenames for the watch, believed to be in reference to the Wi-Fi and cellular models, were later discovered to be "Eos" and "Aurora".[4] Three models were approved by theFederal Communications Commission (FCC) in August,[5] while the Eos model was listed on theGoogle Play Console device catalog for developers.[6] After previewing the watch in September,[7] Google officially announced the Pixel Watch 2 on October 4, alongside thePixel 8 andPixel 8 Pro, at the annualMade by Google event.[8] Pre-orders became available the same day, before being released in 30 countries on October 12.[9][10] The watch suffered from significant shipping delays at the online Google Store.[11]
Visually, the Pixel Watch 2 is near-identical to its predecessor, save a "slightly redesigned haptic crown". Six new families of watch faces were made available at launch.[9][12] It is available in four case–band color pairs:[13]
The Pixel Watch 2 is made of recycled aluminum, a departure from the original Pixel Watch's stainless steel watch frame. Google stated that the change was made to make the watch lighter and more comfortable for users.[14][9] It is powered byQualcomm'sSnapdragon SW5100system-on-chip (SoC), a departure from its predecessor'sSamsung Exynos chip.[6] The watch's new circularsensor array consists of several new sensors.[15] Amultipathheart rate sensor boasts more accurate readings; a skintemperature sensortracks sleep but not menstruation; while anelectrodermal activity sensor detects sweat beads to assess the wearer's mood. The Pixel Watch 2 is not compatible with the first generation's proprietary magnetic charger, instead requiring a newer and faster one.[9]
The Pixel Watch 2 shipped withWear OS 4.0.[6] Like its predecessor, the watch features heavyFitbit integration, given Google's acquisition of the company in 2021.[16] New personal safety features include emergency location sharing, Safety Check, and Safety Signal.[9]
In her review forThe Verge, Victoria Song praised the Pixel Watch 2's improvements from the first-generation on all fronts, especially battery life,[17] as didYahoo! Finance reviewerDaniel Howley andDigital Spy reviewer Jason Murdock.[18][19] Julian Chokkattu ofWired concurred, writing, "I get a watch that actually comes with everything I wish the original did out of the box. Hooray!"[20] Matthew Miller ofZDNET highlighted the watch's deep Fitbit integration and safety features, but was ambivalent toward its small size.[21] Will Greenwald ofPCMag praised the watch's design, performance, and health features,[22] while Mark Knapp ofIGN called it "elegant and performant" but "still not a killer".[23]CNN Underscored's Max Buondonno andTheStreet's Jason Cipriani hailed its health, performance, and battery life enhancements.[24][25] Writing forThe Guardian, Samuel Gibbs appreciated the improved performance and battery life but was disappointed with the lack of advanced health features and ability to be repaired.[26]Engadget's Cherlynn Low was conflicted, commending Google's efforts to close the gap between other smartwatches but still finding it mediocre overall;[27]Inverse's Raymond Wong agreed, calling it "a better smartwatch, but not the best".[28] Elizabeth de Luna ofMashable described the watch as "playing catch-up to theApple Watch",[13] while Robert Leedham ofGQ thought it was the ideal smartwatch for those indifferent toward smartwatches.[29]
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