Agent47 Posted October 9, 2022 Posted October 9, 2022 After years of rumors and false starts, Google's Pixel Watch is finally here – and, based on our early look, it may have been worth the wait. The new wearable sets itself apart from the pack with a smooth, circular design. The glass face curves over the entire front of the watch, with just the metal crown peeking out from the side. It has a bright, high-resolution screen surrounded by some millimeters of dead space. We thought this would bother us, but up close it's barely noticeable. The display is touch-sensitive, accepting swipes in all directions, though you can also use the crown for scrolling and to launch activities. There's also a dedicated Google Assistant button that's so flush with the metal body you might miss it. As expected, this wearable bakes in virtually all of the baseline Fitbit health and fitness-tracking functionality – and Fitbit fans will be pleased to see the Fitbit name within the various screens. (Google owns Fitbit). At $350 / £340 / AU$550 for the Wi-Fi and GPS edition, Google Pixel Watch is $50 cheaper than the baseline Apple Watch 8. The LTE version of the Pixel Watch jumps to $400 / £380 / AU$650. Unlike Apple's wearable, the Google Pixel Watch is available in just one size: 41mm. Google representatives told us the variety of band styles should make this mid-range size a good fit for most people (you get two sizes of band in the box). Google unveiled its new smartwatch at its Google Pixel 7 event (officially titled Made By Google '22) on October 6, along with the Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 7 Pro phones. It's available for pre-order now, and will start shipping on October 13. The Google Pixel Watch is priced at $350 / £340 / AU$550 for the Wi-Fi and GPS model, and $400 / £380 / AU$650 for the LTE edition. As mentioned, there's just the one size, and a wide range of band styles and colors. The Google Pixel Watch is just as elegant in the flesh as it looked in those teaser images we saw six months ago. It has a sort of poured-in look, with a domed, Gorilla Glass 5-covered screen that's flat on the face, and a stainless steel body (there are no other material options). There's a small but useable crown that lets you control on-screen activities, and a dedicated button that sits flush against the body for summoning Google Assistant. There is one other button, though it might be a challenge to find it – let me explain… You can swap out bands in a way to how you can with the Apple Watch. There are two channels – one for each band side – carved out of the watch, and bands slide into this. However, to remove the band, you have to press a small button next to the channel and very close to the band and then slide the band out over your finger. We found this difficult at first, but Google's people – who watched us struggle – insist we'll get the hang of it. The back is a more domed glass with sensors in the center. It has fewer sensors than, say, the Apple Watch 8. It's a cleaner look, but also, thankfully felt comfortable to wear. For Fitbit fans, the Google Watch may feel like a big upgrade. It includes most of the Fitbit health and fitness tracking features (dozens of workout routines, step tracking, etc.), and we noticed that Google has maintained the Fitbit brand name in the sub-menus. There's a heart rate sensor on the back, and the watch can take ECG readings. There are no blood oxygenation capabilities here, although the watch does have the necessary sensor, which means we can expect Google to add that feature in the not-too-distant future https://www.techradar.com/reviews/google-pixel-watch
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