It looks like the Google Pixel Watch 2 is coming around the corner, according to sources in the know: the rumor is that Google is going to follow the same schedule as last year and launch the updated smartwatch in October with its flagship phones.
This comes from information obtained by 9to5Google, although we don't really have any more detail about what to expect. The original Pixel Watch was teased at Google IO 2022 before being launched in full alongside the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.
According to well-known tipster Jon Prosser, there will also be a cheaper watch aimed at kids launched around the same time, possibly with the Fitbit branding. It looks as though the Google Pixel 8 event is going to be a busy one.
Can confirm, as we have been working on the story in the background. As far as I know, Google is planning two watches for later this fall.1) Pixel Watch 2, which will launch with Pixel 8, and 2) a version for kids, though that more than likely will be branded as “Fitbit” https://t.co/pcbgfk3Af1May 5, 2023
Room for improvement
The original Google Pixel Watch has attracted a lot of plaudits, but there's plenty of room for improvement too. A more powerful processor should mean faster performance and better battery life for a start, while it's possible the new version will feature more sensors.
On the design front, it's unlikely that too much would change considering we're only on the second version of the product – and Google will want to keep support for straps from the first-gen Pixel Watch to help anyone thinking of upgrading.
Apparently it's still not confirmed that Pixel Watch 2 will be the actual name of the wearable, though it's difficult to see what other name Google could use. Expect a few more leaks to emerge between now and October.
Analysis: Google hitting its hardware stride
With the Google Pixel 7a and the Google Pixel Fold rumored to be just around the corner, it's another busy year for Google on the hardware front – and one in which it's venturing out into new devices and form factors too.
It's clear that Google is gaining more and more confidence in its hardware division. For a long time it was all about search and apps, but now it has a significant portfolio of physical products that you can actually pick up and use too.
That extends to the Pixel Watch 2: pushing out a second version of the wearable only a year after the first appeared puts Google on an Apple Watch-style schedule, and it's going to be interesting to see if that continues in the future.
With Google IO 2023 happening next week, it's possible that we'll get a mention of the Pixel Watch 2 – it's what Google did last year with the first Pixel Watch. We might also get some details of what it will actually bring with it.
