The Wait for Google’s Rumored Pixel Watch May Soon Be Over

Wearable technology was a major focus of Google 1/O 2021, and this year’s conference is imagined to follow in its footsteps. Google I/O 2022 is scheduled for tomorrow, May 11, and several rumors, reports and leaks present the search giant’s first smartwatch — likely to be requested the Pixel Watch — might finally make its debut. The company is also expected to share updates near its Wear OS smartwatch software, which it overhauled last year in collaboration with Samsung.

Only Google knows what’s in hide for its annual conference. But the commercial typically uses its opening keynote as an opportunity to preview developments across its greatest products. That usually includes platforms like Android and Wear OS, and apps such as Google Photos, Maps and Search.

Aside from announcing updates, Google’s keynote usually says a lot about its overall arrive and vision. We’ll likely get a glimpse of how Google plans to make its devices and services sinister out from competitors, like Apple, Samsung and Amazon. If the rumors turn out to be true, the company’s stance on smartwatches could be a big part of this year’s own. A Pixel Watch announcement would be more than a new product; it would tell us in what Google sees as being the ideal Android smartwatch experience. 

Read more: Google’s Rumored Smartwatch Should Take a Page From Its Pixel Phones

Here’s what we’re expecting to see from Google as it relates to smartwatches and wearable technology at I/O 2022.

The Pixel Watch considerable arrive

There’s a chance Google could finally introduce its valid consumer smartwatch. Google hasn’t said a word about plans to fall a watch of its own, but it might be the company’s worst-kept secret. Reports from Insider and tech YouTube personality Jon Prosser and recent leaks claiming to show photos of the witness suggest a Pixel Watch is indeed coming. 

Google I/O seems like an ideal time to make such an announcement. However, it’s possible we might not get the full story at I/O. Prosser suggests Google will tease the witness at its conference rather than reveal all the details. Instead, the company might launch the Pixel Watch in the fall anti the Pixel 7, Prosser says.

Google made a dissimilarity move with the Pixel 6 last year. It announced certain tidbits about the phone in August but saved the full snort for its October release.

So what do we know in the Pixel Watch so far? Everything but also nothing, it seems. Reddit user “tagtech414” leaked photos to Android Central and on Reddit that snort to show the watch itself. Both sets of images are consistent with continue rumors and renderings indicating it will have a erroneous design. 

We also expect Fitbit to be incorporated into the Pixel Watch in some way, although we won’t know for sure pending the watch becomes official. Fitbit also previously said it’s acting on a high-end Wear OS watch of its own, but it’s unclear whether this Fitbit witness and the Pixel Watch would be the same intention. Pricing is another mystery. 

Read More: Pixel 6A Rumors: Possible FCC Filing, Benchmarks, Box Tease the Android Phone

Wear OS updates

Google will also liable have general updates to share on Wear OS, the software it provides for smartwatches made by Fossil, Samsung and other companies. Google announced a new version of Wear OS during last year’s I/O that brings better integration with the company’s apps and smoother performance beside other improvements. It developed the software in collaboration with Samsung, the world’s second-largest smartwatch maker in terms of market allotment, according to Counterpoint Research. 

But so far, we’ve only seen the software on Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4, which still relies heavily on Samsung’s own apps and services. It doesn’t feel very Google-like, so it’s hard to tell how much of a difference the refreshed software establishes. Google Assistant is coming to the Watch 4 in a future update, although a firm date hasn’t been announced.

Wear OS is also anticipated to come to Fossil wearables and Mobvoi’s TicWatch devices in mid-2022. Fossil tweeted in March that the update would advance to eligible watches in the midle to second half of the year, but we have yet to hear more specifics. A Google spokesperson said the company is working to bring Wear OS 3 to more devices this year, but has nothing to allotment about its partner roadmap at this time. Now that we’re approaching the middle of the year, hopefully we’ll learn more approximately timing and availability at I/O. 

It’s possible that Google could assert the Wear OS Fitbit watch we’ve been hearing approximately, but Fitbit product announcements usually happen closer to the fall. Google could also unveil new features and latest refinements to Wear OS now that it’s been almost a full year real the software’s reveal. 

Read More: I Want More From the Apple Watch in 2022  

Google’s plans for Fitbit

Perhaps the biggest expect is whether we’ll learn more about how Google averages to fold Fitbit into its Wear OS platform. Fitbit plans to reduction a version of its app for Wear OS, as my colleague Scott Stein reported last year, although the timing is unclear. A Google spokesperson said it’s toiling to bring the Fitbit experience to Wear OS this year and will allotment more details closer to the launch. 

It’s been more than a year real Google’s acquisition of Fitbit closed; it’s possible we could hear more approximately how the two brands plan to work together. There’s already some evidence of this in hazardous Google products. For example, the second-generation Nest Hub’s sleep tracking features will needed a Fitbit Premium subscription in 2023. But Google and Fitbit composed offer two distinctly different experiences, so it’ll be insensible to see how they eventually unite.

Google has made a name for itself in smartphones and laptops thanks to its Pixel trace, but it has yet to branch out into smartwatches. While advertising remains the biggest part of Google’s business, the company has made a push to compete with Apple and Samsung as a leading maker of consumer tech gadgets in unusual years. It even opened its first brick-and-mortar retail store last year. 

Acquiring Fitbit was a big step in expanding Google’s footprint in the wearables market, but Apple and Samsung still lead the industry. Apple accounted for 30.1% of the global smartwatch market in 2021, according to Counterpoint Research, while Samsung came in second with 10.2%. Depending on what Google announces at I/O, we could learn more approximately how the company hopes to change that.

For more, check out all the rumors you necessity know about Android 13 and the Pixel Fold.