Due to a “firmware update,” Google has had to change and increase the quoted charging speeds for the first-generation Pixel Watch.
At launch, Google said the Pixel Watch could go from 0 to 50% in 30 minutes, which is what the Pixel Watch 2 achieves today. This was the “Charging speed” listed on the Google Store tech specs for the product.
With the launch of the Pixel Watch 2, the company updated the “Google Pixel Watch Technical & Device Specifications” support page. Now, it takes 45 minutes to reach 50%, a 15-minute increase.
It takes 20 minutes longer, or 75 minutes, for 80%. Previously, you’d be almost done charging in that amount of time. Meanwhile, getting to 100% increased by 30 minutes to 110 minutes.
| Pixel Watch: Old | Pixel Watch: New | Pixel Watch 2 | |
| 0-50% | 30 mins | 45 mins | 30 mins |
| 0-80% | 55 mins | 75 mins | 43 mins |
| 0-100% | 80 mins | 110 mins | 75 mins |
Google tells us that a “firmware update for Google Pixel Watches required us to review the charging times, the new times are what the average user will experience.” The company did not say when this change rolled out or why it was necessary.
Thermal concerns come to mind, with the Pixel Watch being quite warm to the touch after a full charging session. (The pin-based charger on the Pixel Watch 2 generates less heat.) These updated times are more reflective of what we experienced on the first-gen device in recent months.
This update comes as last year’s Pixel Watch is still available for purchase in the Google Store with a $70 discount, bringing the Wi-Fi model to $279 and LTE to $329. In our opinion, the price cut is not deep enough, and the hardware upgrades introduced by the Pixel Watch 2, like the new Snapdragon W5, are worth it, especially for future-proofing.
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