Although it took Google years to release the first Pixel Watch, it may not take nearly as long to release a sequel. The Pixel Watch 2 and the Pixel 8 phone family will be released this fall. Google has historically released new flagship Pixels in October, although specifics are scarce. Last year, it teased the first smartwatch at I/O, and we wouldn’t be surprised if it did the same this year.
At the very least, there is a lot of room for improvement. The Pixel Watch of today is based on an Exynos 9110 system-on-chip from 2018, making it less efficient than the Apple Watch and many other Wear OS watches. A fresher SoC could wring more battery duration out of the plan, and also more performance. Google could borrow health sensors from newer Fitbit gadgets like the Sense 2. Additionally, there is only one 41mm case, so it is not out of the question that there will be a larger model for those who prefer big timepieces.
Software may also play a significant role. Wear OS may use the flexible Material You color theming that has been around since Android 12 according to pre-release Android 14 code. Additionally, Google has not yet enabled essential health metrics for the existing Pixel Watch, such as oxygen saturation (SpO2) and overnight skin temperature, although these may not require additional hardware.
If the Pixel Watch 2 comes out, there are high hopes, regardless of whether the rumor is true. Wear OS as a whole should be the focus of Google’s wristwear demonstration. The Pixel Watch’s flaws could be fixed in a successful follow-up, which would also encourage other smartwatch manufacturers to increase their efforts.
