Exactly a year after Google introduced its original wristwatch, the firm has announced its successor – the Google Pixel Watch 2 is now official! It comes in the same shape and size as the original model and doesn’t seem to expand much on battery life. But Google seems to have gambled substantially on enhancing the fitness tracking functions, employing AI to offer more and more information to the user. Here’s everything that was announced about the Pixel Watch 2!
Design
The same round pebble pattern that provides a clean and basic look as last year. A curved Gorilla Glass 5 sheet covers a 320 PPI display underneath, a single rotating crown on the side gives for hardware control and vintage styling. The crown did get better software treatment, since it now features inertial scrolling, making it feel like much more of a mechanical device.
The Pixel Watch 2’s case is composed of recycled aluminum, instead of stainless steel, and comes in three hues – matte black, polished silver, and champagne gold. Pretty much like last year’s model.
It’s still a single-size model, a 41 mm one, and it still includes the patented latching mechanisms for bands. It’s a cool design that allows for simple swaps of watch straps, but retains them securely when locked in. It makes personalizing your Pixel Watch enjoyable and easy, as long as you can find the necessary bands for it.
Software and tracking features
The Google Pixel Watch 2 runs on Wear OS – the wearable operating system that was developed in conjunction with Google and Samsung. The Watch itself combines the knowledge from Fitbit and Google to track different data with its many sensors, and employ AI to properly report and anticipate fitness metrics, as well as recognize workouts.
A new multi-path heart rate sensor will offer a — Google says — more accurate sleep tracking as well as high and low heart rate warnings. It contains numerous LEDs, so it records your heart rate at slightly various areas, and at different angles on your wrist, so it doesn’t let activities and jerky movement interfere with its readings. It will also produce your Daily Readiness Score – a Fitbit feature, which lets you know if you should plan on doing out today, or rather relax and recover.
New features include Stress Management – when the Pixel Watch 2 detects possible symptoms of stress, you will get requested to document your current mood and activity, as well as conduct a brief breathing exercise if needed.
There’s also the new Safety Check, which will ping you at regular intervals to see if you are all OK and dandy. If you fail to check in, the Pixel Watch 2 will go ahead and warn your emergency contacts. Basically, a “Get home safe” function — kind of like what we saw Apple accomplish with the debut of iOS 17 and watchOS 10. Fitbit Premium users don’t even require LTE access for this, as Safety Signal service offers such emergency connectivity without a phone. This function joins other safety features, such Fall Detection, and Emergency SOS.
The Pixel Watch 2 can now automatically detect among 7 most popular exercises and start tracking without you needing to engage with it. Features like Pace Training and Heart Zone Training will leverage AI to assist you identify the optimum way to workout and offer you cues via haptics or sound.
Battery life
Even with the always-on display turned on, Google promises 24 hours of battery life. The first Pixel’s battery life was one of its flaws, since it could barely get you through a complete day-night cycle if you used it for anything — like fitness monitoring. As a result, it was difficult to timing its use as a sleep tracker.
So, if Google’s promises are true, the Pixel Watch 2 should feel like a significant increase and become immediately more useful in our daily lives. Of course, we’ll have to put it to the test when the device is released.
Surprisingly, the charger isn’t wireless; rather, the new puck attaches to the Pixel Watch 2 through four tiny contact points. This should result in faster and more consistent charging.
Google Pixel Watch 2 price and bonus package
So, the Pixel Watch 2 has a starting price of $349, but it also comes with a slew of extras. You will receive 6 months of Fitbit Premium, which will provide you access to a variety of guided routines to get you started. You will also receive one month of YouTube Music Premium, which allows you to stream and download music directly to your Watch.
