Google Pixel Watch leaker follows up with even more details
There’s a new torrent of Pixel leaks for us to reckon with, but this time, unusually, it’s not for a phone but a smartwatch. Evidence of thePixel Watch’s existenceand imminent announcement has leaked several times over the past few weeks, with this weekend’s Android Central report taking theUpside Down Cakeas the most interesting. And now, the Pixel Watch leaker has additionally taken to Reddit to share a few more insights into the Pixel Watch.
TheReddit postshows us the Google watch from a few more angles, with the most notable new image being a size comparison between the Pixel Watch, a 46mm Galaxy Watch, and a 40mm Apple Watch, pictured below. The watch is supposed to be roughly 1/2" thick and 1 1/2" in diameter, about the same thickness as the Galaxy Watch. Overall, the build quality is supposed to be very premium, with the leaker claiming it has “Apple level quality.”
The leaker has additional taken a close up of the watch, showing off what looks like quite substantial bezels all around the display, though they could just appear to be bigger than on other smartwatches given the all-glass design. There are also new images showing off the speaker, which appears to be a small slit next to a microphone hole that’s sitting to the right of the single button near the crown.
Theoriginal report from Android Centralclaims that someone came across an engineering sample of Google’s upcoming smartwatch at a restaurant somewhere in the U.S. but the person had the wearable in their possession long enough to take photos of it from almost every conceivable angle. The leaker has since said on Reddit that it’s a venue in the “NW suburbs of Chicago,” and that he received the watch from a friend working there after no one claimed the device weeks later, saying that he is the resident tech nerd in his circle of friends.
Should the leaked images prove to be real, they reinforce the design renders that have been floating around since December of last year, whenJon Prosser’s FrontPageTech showed off a series of marketing rendersthat were reportedly shared with retailers. Earlier in December, Business Insider reported that thewatch, codenamed “Rohan,” would be released sometime in 2022.
This most recent set of images shows a near bezel-free rounded watch with a right-mounted rotating crown and a button nested above it in the shiny stainless steel frame, with the leaker noting on Reddit that the buttons are very “nice and clicky.” While the size of the face is unclear, the watch appears to use a set of proprietary lugs for its watch bands, which will likely preclude it from being used with standard quick-release straps. Google-owned Fitbit has famously resisted supporting standard watch bands, arguing that for its own quick-release mechanisms make it easier and faster for users to swap out bands for different scenarios such as fitness and formal attire. It’s unclear if the bands shown in the leaked photos are using the final design, but if they are they appear to employ a set of plastic “teeth” that snap into the watch housing on either side.
Below the crown appears to be a microphone hole, and the back of the watch houses a set of sensors that is sure to include a heart-rate monitor and perhaps oxygen saturation and skin temperature sensors, similar to those found on the Fitbit Sense. It’s unclear how the Pixel Watch charges, but given the prevalence of magnetic Qi-based chargers across the industry today, from the Apple Watch to the Galaxy Watch lineup, it’s safe to assume the Pixel Watch will offer something similar. The leaker additionally shared on Reddit that his Qi chargers momentarily detect the watch but then refuse to charge, so it’s very likely that Qi charging is on board, but either not activated or only available when using a proprietary charger.
This particular unit appears to show the “G” Google logo but reportedly doesn’t boot into Wear OS itself. With Google I/O arriving in just over two weeks, it’s likely we’ll get our first proper look at the features included in the Pixel Watch’s upgraded Wear OS software.
Android Police previously reported that thePixel Watch will be sold in both Wi-Fi and cellular modelswith 32GB of internal storage and be available in three colors: gray, black, and gold. A more recent leak pointed to thewatch being released with Wear OS 3.1, a weird regression compared to the currentlyGalaxy Watch4-exclusive Wear OS 3.2, or maybe just out-of-date information. If things pan out, the Pixel Watch could end up being one of thebest Android smartwatchesavailable — even if it feels like this may beGoogle’s last chance at making it happen.
UPDATE: 2022/04/25 07:19 EST BY MANUEL VONAU
More details
The original leaker has taken to Reddit to share some more details about the watch, including a size comparison to the original Galaxy Watch and a glimpse at the Pixel Watch’s bezels. We’ve updated the post accordingly.
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