The Pixel Watch 2 has arrived, and, yes, it’s very similar to the first generation. Google’s smartwatch sequel is instead full of improvements that you can’t really see, but those changes might not actually change your mind on the company’s wearable.
The hardware is the same, but a little different
Starting with the hardware, Google’s Pixel Watch 2 keeps effectively the same formula. It’s a reasonably small wearable with a round design and a “waterdrop” display. It remains an absolutely gorgeous piece of hardware, but this time with more refined components to make it a better overall experience.
That includes switching to aluminum for the body, which does cut down on the weight somewhat noticeably. Another change I could immediately feel was to the crown, which is now exceptionally smooth, and also now supports inertial scrolling.
Haptics have also been upgraded inside the watch, with much more punch to every click and rumble you feel throughout the software (and Wear OS 4 has even more of these haptic interactions).
Something else I noticed in my brief time with the Pixel Watch 2 is the step up in performance.
The Snapdragon W5 series chip inside of Pixel Watch 2 is a leap ahead of the Exynos 9110 used last year, and the results speak for themselves. You’ll see this more in our coverage later, but in person, it’s something that I really enjoyed.
Fit and finish, other than what we’ve discussed, is practically unchanged. The look of Pixel Watch 2 is nearly identical to the original, and that’s a good thing in my book. Also worth mentioning is the new charging method, which swaps wireless charging for contact pins, which should both be faster and easier to align thanks to strong magnets.
It’s a real Fitbit this time
The other big thing I found during my brief time with Pixel Watch 2 was that, really, this feels more like an actual Fitbit.
The first Pixel Watch was very clearly a smartwatch that had the guts of a Fitbit somewhat sloppily stuffed inside. It held some features for later, and for others, just didn’t support them at all. But Pixel Watch 2 has everything I’d expect from a proper Fitbit, and adds more.
New health features on Pixel Watch 2 include pace training and stress tracking, which are largely thanks to the new sensors on the Watch 2. Google’s updated heart rate tracker, for instance, now has five points of contact (it’s virtually impossible to take a photo with all five lit up at once), and there’s an EDA sensor stuffed in there, too.
Another big advantage with the Pixel Watch 2 is support for auto-start and auto-stop for workouts.
Of course, I was only able to play with these features in the software, and not try them for myself. We’ll have to wait for the full review to fully talk about much of this, but so far, it’s all feeling like a major improvement.
If you didn’t like Pixel Watch, you probably won’t like the sequel either
The Pixel Watch 2 is, ultimately, just a better version of the smartwatch we got last year. Frankly, it’s probably what that watch should have been, but let’s not get into that.
What’s key here, and something Google should probably focus on next, is appealing to people who just don’t like the Pixel Watch yet. In my eyes, the Pixel Watch 2 is not going to change the game for Google’s smartwatch efforts. If you didn’t like the first one, you won’t like this one. If the hardware of the first Pixel Watch didn’t suit your needs or preferences, this one won’t change anything.
Pixel Watch 3 needs to bring, above all else, new sizing options, but other important changes could include thinning out the bezels and improving repairability – and no, that hasn’t changed on Pixel Watch 2 either.
But, for now, Google’s smartwatch is getting considerably better, and that’s great news for the people who actually like it. Pixel Watch 2 will be available starting at $349.
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