Rumors surrounding a Pixel-branded Google smartwatch have been doing rounds for some time now. Various reports suggest that a Pixel Watch is in the works, and there’s a valid reason for the claims as well. Now, latest reports say that Google is working on a smartwatch app for health and fitness assistance. Called Google Coach, the app is supposed to deliver fitness and health notifications, and much more, on a daily basis to the users. Now considering that not many big OEMs seem to be in a hurry to make brand new Wear OS smartwatches, it looks like the best bet for Google to demo Coach would be a smartwatch of its own.
Earlier this year, Google re-branded it’s smartwatch platform Android Wear as Wear OS. It was an indication of the company’s attempt to resurrect otherwise dying Android Wear, a victim of Qualcomm’s monopoly. The re-branding, however, still didn’t interest many OEMs. But Google was far from done trying to make Android smartwatches happen, and has now taken the matter into it’s own hands, with a Wear OS-powered smartwatch of its own.
Google Pixel Watch
In May, well-known leaker Evan Blass tweeted that Pixel-branded watches are coming alongside the Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL smartphones this fall. It was followed by a report from the usually accurate WinFuture which said Google is making three variants of the Pixel Watch, codenamed Ling, Triton, and Sardine. They couldn’t specify any further details as to how the three variants will be different. However, they did mention that the watches would be powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform, which is yet to be announced.
Also Qualcomm‘s set to announce something big on September 10, which, I believe, will be the new Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform. So Google would want to be the very first to launch a Wear OS smartwatch powered by the new Qualcomm processor, and give some competition to the newly launched Samsung Galaxy Watch and the Apple Watch.
All eyes on the Google hardware event now, where, along with the Pixel Watch and new smartphones, we will also be seeing the second-gen Google Pixelbook. We might also see products from the Home and Chromecast series at the event.
