Google Pixel Watch 2 latest specs, news and rumours ahead of 4 Oct reveal

UPDATE: Google has now revealed the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro in addition to the Pixel Watch 2. Here are our stories on the new devices:

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Google has now set a date for its next ‘Pixel portfolio’ reveal event – which will include a smartwatch in the form of the second-gen Pixel Watch. What new hardware will make the grade – and will it include any of our wish list items listed below? Here’s everything we know so far.

Android fans had a lot to like about the Google Pixel Watch smartwatch when it landed in October 2022. It had a minimal design, slick Fitbit integration, and the best version of the firm’s Wear OS software to date. Google’s first wearable effort wasn’t perfect, though. Battery life was a real downer, and the “one size fits all” approach was off-kilter with the rest of the smartwatch world. That leaves plenty of areas for a Pixel Watch 2 to improve upon.

Will there be a Pixel Watch 2?

Google finally started teasing the Pixel Watch 2 in September. It was months after leaks and rumours started flying about the firm working on a smartwatch successor. The reveal followed the annual I/O event in May 2023 where it quickly breezed over WearOS. It left more time to focus on AI, coding and other upcoming hardware like the Pixel Fold smartphone.

Things changed when a single image was posted to a Google Store product page, showing what could be a second-gen watch alongside the upcoming Pixel 8 Pro smartphone. The official teaser video backed up that leak, showing a similar-looking watch to the first-gen model.

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Until recently, the info we had to go on was a single tweet from prolific phone leaker EVleaks. Simply reading “Pixel Watch 2” in an official-looking font. It was unclear if it was taken from an internal Google source, or was simply a mock-up. That reveal never came.

Google Pixel Watch 2 likely release date

The second Pixel Watch is set to appear alongside the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro at the firm’s October 4th launch event. The in-person event is being held in New York, at 10AM local time (3PM UK).

Pricing is more of an unknown. You could pick up a Pixel Watch for $350/£339 at launch. But prices quickly dropped and now you can get one for $300/£300 with a bit of shopping around. Would a successor land at a more modest price to drum up interest? Google managed to match the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro‘s prices to their predecessors. But the Pixel 7a arrived with a $50/£50 increase over the outgoing Pixel 6a.

General cost of living increases over the next twelve months might a price match impossible. Estimating the cost of a larger model would also be a total shot in the dark. And that depends whether one actually launches.

The latest rumours point to a $350/£350 price at launch. This represents a small increase in the UK but no change for US customers.

Google Pixel Watch 2 software changes

With the OG Pixel Watch running Wear OS 3, you can bet any features that debut on the second-gen watch will also make their way backwards – eventually. Google has already set a precedent. It added fall detection to the Pixel Watch post-launch to help it keep pace with rivals from Samsung and Apple. The deactivated SpO2 sensor has now been put into use, too. Plus several own-brand watch apps have been updated to be easier to use.

If the new Watch has a more powerful CPU,, Google could be forced to keep certain goodies for the newer model. Improved health tracking sensors could also give it an edge. Although everything is still very much in the rumours stage for now.

WearOS 4 seems to be a lock for the new model, at least. Google showed it off briefly at I/O, with Material You colours and a revised backup/reset process being the major changes. It will apparently be much more energy efficient than previous versions, helping extend battery life. Samsung beat everyone to the punch with the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic. Both ran the latest software, but Google surely won’t be far behind.

Google Pixel Watch 2 hardware rumours

Currently the strongest info comes via 9to5Google, which claims Google will swap from Exynos power to a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5. A more efficient chip should hopefully mean much better battery life than the original. The source suggests more than a day of use (even with always-on display active) should be possible. It’s not clear right now if the battery will be any bigger, though.

Other snippets include a suite of sensors inherited from the Fitbit Sense 2, including one dedicated to skin temperature and another for continuous electrodermal activity (cEDA), which helps track stress levels.

A subsequent mention of Pixel Watch 2 in the Google Play Store console device catalogue backed up the use of a Snapdragon W5 CPU, and seemingly confirmed it will ship with 2GB of RAM – the same as the original Pixel Watch. Screen resolution and pixel density appear to be unchanged too.

It’s expected that Pixel Watch 2 will make the swap from stainless steel to aluminium construction, but keep the same size screen as before. The move should reduce weight, which is a big deal in a fitness-focused device or when tracking your sleep at night. The screen itself will reportedly be sourced from Samsung now, instead of BOE. There’s no indication it’ll come with a skinnier bezel.

Ultra-wide band (UWB) support may also make the grade, letting you use the Pixel Watch 2 to unlock compatible car doors.

Google Pixel Watch 2 feature wish list

We gave the Pixel Watch four stars in our review, praising its appearance and fitness tracking abilities but noting it fell short of more established rivals. Wondering what could have bumped it up to a full five stars? A few of the following making an appearance for the sequel should do the trick….

Two screen size options

With a 41mm screen, there’s no question the Pixel Watch can look a little… dainty on larger wrists. It’s perfect for smaller ones, though, so we wouldn’t want to see Google simply increase the size for 2023 and call it a day. Better to follow Apple and Samsung in offering a second, larger screen option. That’ll let customers decide which works best for them, and should make it possible to squeeze a bigger battery inside (more on that below).

If that means having to pay a little more, so be it – the 45mm Apple Watch Series 8 carries a £40 premium over the 41mm version, but it doesn’t seem to have hurt Apple’s sales numbers.

(Much) better battery life

Longevity is easily the Pixel Watch’s biggest weakness. It can barely last a full day on a single charge once you do a bit of exercise tracking, and using the always-on display can sometimes mean having to top up twice to make it through the night. The Apple Watch fares a lot better, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 can now manage two to three days without much trouble. Google needs to do better for the next-gen version.

Whether that’s by using a more efficient processor (the one it uses right now is several years behind the latest Qualcomm 4100, which itself is due an upgrade within the next year or so), or by increasing battery size won’t really matter to customers. As long as they aren’t tethered to a plug socket at least once a day, that’ll count as a win.

Banish the bezels

We’re big fans of circular smartwatches, and the Pixel Watch’s glass dome face is a real peach – until you spot just how thick its bezel is. The black ring is usually disguised by the WearOS interface using mostly black backgrounds, and the OLED screen being a perfect colour match – but it still cheapens the look of what’s otherwise a premium gadget. Skinnier bezels are a must if Google wants to go toe-to-toe with Apple and Samsung in the design stakes.

• Related: Can the Pixel Watch challenge Apple’s wearable dominance?