The Pixel Watch 2 is a
Wear OSsmartwatch designed, developed, and marketed by
Google as part of the
Google Pixel product line. It serves as the successor to the first-generation
Pixel Watch.
The Pixel Watch 2 was officially announced on October 4, 2023, at the annual
Made by Google event, and was released in the United States on October 12.
History
In May 2023, 9to5Google reported that
Google intended to release a successor to the
Pixel Watch, a
Wear OS–powered smartwatch, in October.[2] 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".[3] Three models were approved by the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in August,[4] while the Eos model was listed on the
Google Play Console device catalog for developers.[5] After previewing the watch in September,[6] Google officially announced the Pixel Watch 2 on October 4, alongside the
Pixel 8 and
Pixel 8 Pro, at the annual
Made by Google event.[7] Pre-orders became available the same day, before being released in 30 countries on October 12.[8][9] The watch suffered from significant shipping delays at the online Google Store.[10]
Specifications
Design
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.[8][11] It is available in four case–band color pairs:[12]
Color options for the Pixel Watch
Case
Polished Silver
Matte Black
Champagne Gold
Polished Silver
Active Band
Bay
Obsidian
Hazel
Porcelain
Hardware
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.[13][8] It is powered by
Qualcomm's
Snapdragon SW5100
system-on-chip (SoC), a departure from its predecessor's
Samsung Exynos chip.[5] The watch's new circular
sensor array consists of several new sensors.[14] A
multipathheart rate sensor boasts more accurate readings; a skin
temperature sensortracks sleep but not menstruation; while an
electrodermal 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.[8]
Software
The Pixel Watch 2 shipped with
Wear OS 4.0.[5] Like its predecessor, the watch features heavy
Fitbit integration, given Google's acquisition of the company in 2021.[15] New personal safety features include emergency location sharing, Safety Check, and Safety Signal.[8]
Reception
In her review for The Verge, Victoria Song praised the Pixel Watch 2's improvements from the first-generation on all fronts, especially battery life,[16] as did
Yahoo! Finance reviewer
Daniel Howley and Digital Spy reviewer Jason Murdock.[17][18] Julian Chokkattu of Wired concurred, writing, "I get a watch that actually comes with everything I wish the original did out of the box. Hooray!"[19] Matthew Miller of ZDNET highlighted the watch's deep Fitbit integration and safety features, but was ambivalent toward its small size.[20] Will Greenwald of PCMag praised the watch's design, performance, and health features,[21] while Mark Knapp of IGN called it "elegant and performant" but "still not a killer".[22]CNN Underscored's Max Buondonno and TheStreet's Jason Cipriani hailed its health, performance, and battery life enhancements.[23][24] Writing for The 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.[25]Engadget's Cherlynn Low was conflicted, commending Google's efforts to close the gap between other smartwatches but still finding it mediocre overall;[26]Inverse's Raymond Wong agreed, calling it "a better smartwatch, but not the best".[27] Elizabeth de Luna of Mashable described the watch as "playing catch-up to the
Apple Watch",[12] while Robert Leedham of GQ thought it was the ideal smartwatch for those indifferent toward smartwatches.[28]