Googles Pixel Watch Delivers Nice Hardware, But Fails To Answer The ‘why

Getting there took a smart strategy—building a small hardware ecosystem, several large acquisitions, and partnering with a major competitor. But suddenly Google became a smartwatch competitor rather than a complete outsourcing.

A convincing argument can be made that the software giant has learned some hard lessons from past battles between smartwatches and headphones. It is not easy for anyone to break into an already mature hardware segment; Spending more than $2 billion is a good way to cut costs if your pockets are big enough.

While devices are the way to go in this world, things aren't that simple. First, Google's partnership with Samsung means an immediate increase in Wear OS market share. Both companies initially viewed Apple's leadership from afar, so why not collaborate? If nothing else, it was a quick punch in the gut for a mobile operating system that had been languishing for the better part of a decade.

Image courtesy of Brian Hitter.

Some large purchases are very important to the transaction. The $2.1 billion Fitbit deal was the most high-profile move yet — and understandably so. It's not every day that you get a common name. Like Samsung, this deal would immediately increase Google's market share, and it would work like the Apple/Beats deal before it: Google would immediately gain online sales and brand equity because it uses Fitbit's software as the basis for sales. His first game.

In the year Fossil's $40 million IP acquisition in 2019 will not go to waste. The deal is primarily for an unseen prototype that could serve as architecture for the new Pixel Watch hardware. The product certainly looks like Fitbit has given us nothing.

It's worth noting that Google didn't just buy Fitbit and Fossil. A lot of companies get it because they find it themselves. It's hard to tell, but probably the Pebble, Vector, Thread, and Coin (Fitbit) wearables, as well as the delay (Fossil) that live in this little device sitting on my wrist. Add to that the company's work with Samsung, and you have a mysterious story behind the smartwatch universe.

Image courtesy of Brian Hitter.

It's an incredible smartwatch DNA cocktail. Is it enough to propel the Pixel Watch to the top of the leaderboard? oh no. Obviously not. But it is enough to compete. Apple is an insurmountable mountain for now - and let's be honest, the company is alone in the world of iPhone compatibility. Google's competition is much closer to home.

In particular, the company is in competition with companies such as Samsung, Fitbit and Xiaomi who are trying to take the last place in the market. Garmin, on the other hand, is in its own open world with no competition other than the Apple Watch Ultra. So basically, Samsung remains a direct competitor to the Pixel Watch. The Galaxy Watch has been in second place for some time, so the competition is still tough.

Image courtesy of Brian Hitter.

Pixel Watch is a watcher. I really dig the design here. It's as small as possible - a big change from the Apple Watch Ultra I've worn before. Included in the contents is a watch - a shiny curved glass, engraved with a touch crown. It is also very small. The size of the case is 41 mm, which is smaller than the two standard Apple Watch models. The screen is 1.2 inches smaller compared to 1.53 inches on the 41mm Series 8.

We work a lot with screen sizes where a fraction of an inch makes a big difference. The Google device isn't helped much by the large bezels on the sides. In most cases, you will not notice them, because the clock is completely black. In front of the light, the place will be more visible. However, this ultimately means that the touchscreen area is small.

I've long believed that when it comes to clothing, the more size options, the better. That's how the human body is, you know? However, given the choice, I'd say less. A very small watch case is much easier to hold than a very large one. The 41mm body feels and feels small on my wrist, but the screen size is adequate for most tasks unless you plan on typing a lot.

However, I'd be shocked if the Pixel Watch 2 doesn't come in at least two sizes next year.

Image courtesy of Brian Hitter.

Wheels engage and release with the push of a button and slider. It's a little difficult at first, so the company will help you turn it on and off during installation. The connector is proprietary and currently only Google makes compatible wristbands. There's a good selection of materials and price points, and the company plans to open it up to third parties.

Pixel Watch starts with the always-on display, even if it's turned off by default. When enabled, this effectively renders a lower resolution and slightly darker version of your watch. The battery was a little drained in my testing, so depending on how long you've been using it, you might want to leave it on. If enabled, it may be difficult to access the full 24 hours. So if you're tracking your sleep, it might be worth budgeting for faster downloads.

One thing that Google was able to avoid with its late entry was years of popular research among smartwatch makers. In those days it was called advertising stuff. However, in the end, health monitoring became the main game here, and Google successfully entered this world.

Image courtesy of Brian Hitter.

Interestingly, Fitbit lives here as a standalone app. The company ditched Fitbit Pay in favor of Google Pay (the former's fate is unclear), but the clothing brand's presence is strong in the form of fitness and sleep tracking. As mentioned in the Apple/Beats discussion above, Fitbit is a very valuable brand to stop in the hardware market (especially since these devices are still focused on low-cost SKUs), but it will be interesting to see if it catches on. First available on Pixel Watch. This includes downloading the standalone Fitbit app onto a connected smartphone, though there's also the option to transfer over all your old fitness stats.

I love the Fitbit tracker. The company has built a wide range of fitness and sleep metrics that Google will immediately unlock. The Pixel Watch isn't the most complete solution, but don't be afraid of what Google has to offer in 2022.

Looking at Fitbit's take on smartwatches like the Versa, there's a key question about the Pixel Watch. why? Besides the simple fact that a well-known company has thrown its hat into the ring after years of inactivity, why would anyone care about the device, especially when the Versa costs $150 less than $350 (add an extra $50 for LTE).

Image courtesy of Brian Hitter.

It is definitely not beyond the capacity of the department. The Galaxy Watch 5 starts at $330 and the Apple Watch Series 8 at $399. Given that the price is a big difference for the Pixel lineup, the company can play the same role with smartwatches. After all, while the Pixel has a minute market share, those numbers are growing here in North America, where Google captured 3 percent of shipments in the first quarter.

Pixel owners seem to be the exact market Google should be targeting here. There's probably something about it being the anti-Apple Watch Ultra – small and delicately rounded, with glossy corners that go with anything. But in future generations, the company will have to do more to differentiate the Pixel Watch from the Fitbit smartwatch that currently resides under the Alphabet banner.

Why can't I find it here? I'm not sure about Google either. I can understand why the company was interested in growing categories like smartwatches and headphones. Google has seen the success that Apple and Samsung have had in the hardware ecosystem and wants to have some of it.

However, if this move bothers you, you could do a lot worse than the Pixel Watch, and that's just the beginning.

The Google Pixel Watch offers great hardware, but "why?" It does not answer the question. Brian Hitter. Originally posted on TechCrunch