Ever since Evan Blass tweeted that Google would be announcing a Pixel Watch at their ‘Made by Google’ event later this year, there hasn’t been much more information. Now Roland Quandt over at WinFuture has shed some light on the Pixel Watch – or should we say Pixel Watches.
According to Quandt, there will be three models announced, codenamed “Ling”, “Triton” and “Sardine” in keeping with Google’s proclivity for using fish, or at least marine animal based names as codenames for their hardware.
The three models will be utilising the upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform with at least 1GB of RAM. Though Qualcomm hasn’t announced the SD Wear 3100 officially, Quandt says the chipset will be based on the same 28nm manufacturing process as the existing SD Wear 2100 platform.
Traditionally, using a smaller manufacturing process improves power management, however Qualcomm has managed this instead with a new power management IC called PMW3100, as well as a lower power processor called ‘BlackGhost’ that will function while the main quad-core processor is in low power mode. Blackghost will allow the watch to respond to commands such as calling Google Assistant and displaying information on the ‘always-on’ display.
In terms of features, the models could include GPS, LTE with VoLTE support, Bluetooth including apt-X and WLAN as well as a pedometer and heart rate monitor, though the models may vary in configurations.
There’s no real information on what the watches will actually look like at this stage, but with three models you could possibly see at least two different sizes as well as have LTE/non-LTE models available.
Google has not yet announced when its next ‘Made by Google’ event will be, though based on the last two years we would expect it to be on or around the 4th of October. Google has a long way to go to make Wear OS a real winner as a platform, so the question is whether Pixel branded watches are enough to really do it?
Are you interested in a Pixel Watch?
Hopefully better battery life from the new chipset, performance wise I think RAM has been the biggest issue so 1GB should help sort that out.
Interested yes, but depends on the execution :p
I am watching this closely. Sporting an Apple Watch and iPhone X ATM, and am really missing my Android. My time to return could be closing in…I had the Samsung Gear Live back at Android Wear’s birth, and the Pixels are sounding like they have wireless charging coming back. I just hope the screen is okay on the Pixel. And hopefully a Square OLED watch face with Android Pay and a Heart Rate monitor…then I am all good!
I think Google will shake up the whole watch market. Apple’s watch is still the market leader, but it is losing market share, and it is hamstrung by the failed Siri.
As long as they are good looking and don’t go for the ‘sporty’ look I’ll be happy, currently got the moto 360 gen 2 so if they can keep the simple and elegant look they have my money
Given that the new Samsung watch is confirmed Tizen I’m now very much in the fence about either waiting for the pixel watch (because I need one now my urbane 2 died) or getting the tickwatch pro.
If they had a newer cpu in the tickwatch pro I’d have it right now, no questions.
I purchased the ticwatch pro a couple of weeks back and I was hesitant.
I have no regrets, I have had a handful of android based watches from Samsung, Huawei, Moto and this is my all time favourite.
Absolutely! I’ve had the Pixel 1 and currently the Pixel 2XL and have loved them both. Previously had iPhone and Samsung but Google’s Pixel is so much better imo. Would love a watch to go with my phone! 👌
I’m definitely interested. I’m yet to purchase an Android watch but it’s got to be attractive in appearance (subjective), with functions that appeal and at a reasonable price (subjective)! I’m a watch wearer and own several quality units. I’m fussy about what I wear on my wrist, all day.
I hope that if Google release the watches that they will sell them to me. They haven’t wanted to so far, obviously Australia is missing from their map.
And if something goes wrong with it be prepared for a very long, drawn out warranty drama…hubby is still waiting for his pixel to come back and it is 10 weeks now…everything is offshore with Google.
Has it gone downhill that quickly? Last time I had a warranty issue, Google shipped me a brand new replacement phone, gave me a week to get transferred over and then a courier picked up the busted one (GPS was all over the place). Didn’t cost me anything.
Would be tempted if it’s good. Been pretty happy with my ticwatch E so far.
How’s the battery line of the ticwatch E? I was almost going to buy one of the new models with nfc to make google payments, but all this talk about the Pixel watch has me waiting to see what unfolds, I think I’ll be keeping my pixel 2 xl for a couple years I’ll pass the pixel 3, and probably just pick up the Pixel watch, instead, if Google produce a sleek design circular case and smooth interface I’m happy.
I’m hoping one will be around 40mm as I don’t like huge watches