They sure took their time. Following swirling speculation and leaked photos, Google (GOOGL) revealed the Pixel Watch at its developer conference. The Google Pixel Watch combines its own Wear's operating system with Fitbit's health tracking. The watch can be paired with Android devices only and is 4G-compatible, which means it can function on its own without being near a phone (but to do this it requires its own data plan).
The company's first smartwatch is made from stainless steel and has a tactile face. It’s made of recycled stainless steel and has swappable proprietary bands. It’ll also run on an “improved” Wear OS 3 that features a “refreshed UI” with better navigation and smart notifications. The Fitbit integration is the most significant collaboration between the two companies we’ve seen since Google bought Fitbit for $2.1b.
Google also announced two new Pixel phones — the budget Pixel 6a and premium Pixel 7, going on sale in July. On top of that, a new Pixel tablet will be released in 2023, as well as updated earbuds, Pixel Buds Pro.
Why it matters
While hardware hasn’t traditionally been a central component of Google’s business, the Pixel Watch is part of a recent, broader push by the tech giant to release more products. The Pixel Watch will go head-to-head with Apple’s (APPL) smartwatch, which first debuted in 2015.
