Along with the unveiling of its new Pixel 8 series phones, Google also took to stage to introduce the Pixel Watch 2, its latest Wear OS smartwatch, as well as new updates for the Pixel Buds Pro which bring some new and useful features for users. The Pixel Watch 2 comes with some much-needed upgrades in terms of both processing power and battery endurance, while the Pixel Buds Pro received some new and helpful software updates for users.
Pixel Watch 2
The Pixel Watch 2’s design might remind users of the original Pixel Watch, thanks to the rounded design and overall similar form factor. Made from recycled aluminium, users can get the Pixel Watch 2 in matte black, polished silver, and champagne gold versions. The touch display on the watch is made from Gorilla Glass 5, and has a decent brightness of up to 1,000 nits. On the side is an action button and rotating crown for UI navigation.
On the inside, one big upgrade is the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 processor, which is a much-welcome change from the older Samsung chip that Google previously used. This also comes with 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage. Google says that the battery can also last up to 24 hours even with the watch’s always-on display feature, and hopefully this is indeed the case this time around, given the first-generation Pixel Watch’s infamy in terms of battery endurance.
Google will ship the watch with the latest Wear OS 4 platform, in addition to a wide selection of fitness-tracking features developed by Google and Fitbit, including heart rate monitoring, SPO2 and sleep tracking, and skin temperature readings. The Pixel Watch 2 will of course be able to work with the Fitbit app, which has been overhauled for better fluidity and user navigation – users can track their health stats using the app, and even use it to program workouts.
Pixel Buds Pro
The Pixel Buds Pro have been on the market for quite some time now, although Google announced a new addition to the selection of colour variants available in the form of bay and porcelain. Google also announced some new features which enhance the user experience for the earbuds.
For one, there’s now newly-added super wideband support with Bluetooth, which should improve the overall clarity and sound quality of a user’s voice over phone calls. The Pixel Buds Pro will now work with the Pixel’s Clear Calling feature, allowing users to better hear the person they’re talking to. The earbuds will also be able to sense when a user is speaking, pausing their music and switching over to transparency mode for conversations.
Additionally, users can set the Pixel Buds Pro to notify them if their music volume is too loud, and can now access a low-latency mode, which is pretty ideal for gaming sessions, especially when playing titles which require precision.
Buyers can pre-order the Pixel Watch starting at £349, with units shipping out starting on October 12. Meanwhile, the Pixel Buds Pro are available for £199.
