Google is shaking things up. The next-gen Pixel 9 series is planning to spoil Apple’s September iPhone party with not two but four models, including a foldable! As if that wasn’t enough, Google’s wearables division is interested in stealing the limelight on the Apple Watch’s 10th anniversary with its next-gen Pixel Watch 3.
For more context, the Pixel Watch series has been Google’s attempt at creating the best Wear OS-based smartwatch, a worthy rival to the Apple Watch and Samsung’s trendy Galaxy Watch devices. Released in 2022, the Pixel Watch is now expected to enter its third generation and will have one big update if the latest bunch of Pixel Watch 3 rumours and leaks are to be believed.
The Pixel Watch 3 series is expected to share the stage with the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9 Pro Fold at the upcoming event on August 14. While Google has remained tight-lipped on its next-generation smartwatch, the leaks and rumours have revealed so much that there’s hardly anything left to the imagination.
Hence, if you support Team Android and are planning to upgrade to a proper smartwatch powered by Wear OS this festive season, the Pixel Watch 3 could end up as your best bet.
Here is our roundup of all the Pixel Watch 3 rumours and leaks we have known so far.
The Google Pixel Watch 3 leaked specs at a glance
With less than a week left for Google’s early product launch event, tipsters have been hard at work unearthing any scoop on the Pixel Watch 3 series. Although none of it has been verified by Google, here is a collection of everything we found on the internet.
First up, new sizes.
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Pixel Watch goes XL!
The Pixel Watch has always been available in a single size and for most users, it seemed small. Since most smartwatch manufacturers offer their products in small and large sizes, we hoped for the same from Google. The Pixel Watch 3 finally fulfils that.
Buyers will now be able to choose between the standard 41mm variant and a bigger 45mm size, the latter offering a larger display and a bigger battery to compensate for the extra pixels. The design is likely to remain largely similar to the Pixel Watch 2 and in typical Apple fashion, that isn’t bad. As they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Internal specifications
Similar to the design, a lot of the core internal specifications are said to be left unchanged from its predecessor.
Google is rumoured to use the same Snapdragon Wear 5100 chipset that debuted on last year’s Pixel Watch 2. It is also said to be accompanied by the same Cortex M33 co-processor to help it out with intense tasks. Onboard storage will stay limited to 32GB of eMMC type and the RAM will also be limited to 2GB.
While the core performance credentials are likely to remain unchanged, there are a few other areas where Google has incorporated crucial improvements.
Pixel Watch 3 brightness will range from 2,000 nits all the way to just 1 nit
45mm also has a bigger 420mah battery pic.twitter.com/TWnHdH4ctZ
— Anthony (@TheGalox_) August 8, 2024
The battery capacity sees a marginal increase on the Watch 3 41mm variant to 307mm, which should offer no notable gains in the real world. The bigger 45mm variant will feature a 420mAh battery, which while bigger than the 41mm variant, seems far less than what Samsung offers in its 45mm variants of the Galaxy Watch 7.
The display bezels don’t see any reduction but Google is said to be using a new OLED panel with a variable refresh rate of 1Hz-60Hz. This should allow smoother UI animations while navigating through the apps and menus. The panel can also achieve a peak brightness of 2,000 nits and dip to 1 nit in dim ambient lighting.
Pixel Watch 3’s expected pricing
Despite the minor changes, Google is playing it safe with the pricing of the Pixel Watch 3 series. Based on the leak, it seems the 41mm Pixel Watch 3 with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth will cost USD 349 (SGD 462). The larger 45mm variant in the same spec is said to retail for USD 399 (approximately SGD 528).
For those seeking LTE connectivity, the 41mm Pixel Watch 3 will set you back by USD 449 (approximately SGD 594). The 45mm LTE variant asks for USD 499 (approximately SGD 661).
If Google goes ahead with the aforementioned prices, it will end up being pricier than the recently announced Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 series but a tad cheaper than the Apple Watch Series 9.
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(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Augustman / Representational Image)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The Pixel Watch 3 is expected to be released on 14 August 2024 at the Made By Google launch event.
The Pixel Watch 3 will likely start at USD 349 (approximately SGD 462) for the 41mm Wi-Fi variant.
The Google Pixel Watch 3 will feature a 41mm dial, a Snapdragon Wear 5100 chip, a 307mAh battery, a new OLED panel with 2,000 nits of peak brightness and a 60Hz refresh rate and the latest Wear OS platform.
