The Google Pixel Watch 3 is almost certain to launch at Google's upcoming Pixel event on Tuesday, August 13, and there have been a number of leaks that have now given us a good idea of what to expect.
The latest rumors suggest that the next Pixel Watch will be available in two sizes for the first time, and that Google is also planning to shrink its bezels. Inside, we're also expecting some major software improvements, including improved health monitoring features and a new “Morning Brief” feature.
In our review of the Google Pixel Watch 2, we wrote about all the ways it improved on the original Pixel Watch, from the lighter weight to the faster performance. Technology never stands still, though, so we're looking forward to the future upgrades we're likely to get with the Pixel Watch 3.
Below, we’ve rounded up everything we (think) we know about the Pixel Watch 3, including its expected price, release date, and specs, and we’ll continue to update this page as breaking rumors come in. We’ve also put together a wishlist of what we’d like to see, so we can mark how well Google has done on August 13…
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The next Google Pixel smartwatch
- When does it come out? Most likely it will be August 13th
- How much will it cost? The latest leaks suggest a price of $349, £349 or AU$549.
Google Pixel Watch 3: expected price and release date
Some recent rumors from reputable sources on July 17 have given us an idea of how much the Pixel Watch 3 will likely cost.
This information comes from Dealabs (via Notebookcheck) and suggests that the 41mm Pixel Watch 3 will start at €399 – that price in euros matches that of the Pixel Watch 2, which originally went on sale for $349 / £349 / AU$549 in the rest of the world.
Meanwhile, the LTE version of the 41mm watch is expected to cost €499, which is €50 (around $55 / £40 / AU$80) more than the Pixel Watch 2 LTE. The latter launched at $399 / £399 / AU$649.
What's less clear is how much the larger version of the Pixel Watch will cost. Since Google has never released a second size before, we don't have a yardstick for what to expect.
Dealabs’ source claims the 45mm Pixel Watch 3 XL will cost €449 without LTE and €549 with LTE. For reference, that works out to around $490/£375/AU$730 and $600/£460/AU$890 respectively, at current exchange rates, though Google won’t be using direct currency conversions.
What’s a little more certain is the Pixel Watch 3’s release date. We can expect it to arrive on August 13, alongside the Pixel 9 series and more. That’s slightly earlier than previous Pixel Watch launches, which took place in October 2022 (for the Pixel Watch) and October 2023 (for the Pixel Watch 2), though we don’t yet know the on-sale dates for the third edition.
Google Pixel Watch 3: news and rumors
As we're now in the run-up to the Pixel Watch 3 launch, rumors and leaks have been coming in thick and fast.
One of the biggest leaks, from August 4, gave us a promotional video for the smartwatch, revealing its design and some of its key features. The video came from @OnLeaks and Android Headlines and showed that the Pixel Watch 3 will come in two sizes (41mm and 45mm), just as the rumors had predicted.
What's up #FutureSquad? Today I got my hands on the official promo video for #Google #PixelWatch3 and #PixelWatch3XL!… 😏On behalf of @Androidheadline 👉🏻 pic.twitter.com/MRFtRvd8Y1August 2, 2024
Other new features appear to include a brighter display than the Google Pixel Watch 2 and smaller bezels. The back of the watch appears to have the same four-pin charging system as before, though it's not yet clear whether the Pixel Watch 3 will be compatible with current chargers.
The video also shows off software features like real-time running metrics, training tips, and turn-by-turn navigation on Google Maps. The leaks also tell us about the promising Morning Brief feature, which we've already seen in previous leaks and promises to give the user a handy daily summary of their fitness and wellbeing for the day ahead.
What about the specs? A recent leak on August 8 gave us conflicting news on the matter. According to Android Headlines, the smartwatch will have the same Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 5100 chipset, 2GB of SDRAM, and 32GB of eMMC flash storage as the Google Pixel Watch 2, meaning you might not notice much of a difference in raw performance.
Still, those rumors suggest the Pixel Watch 3’s display will now run at 60Hz, up from 30Hz. That higher refresh rate should make the smartwatch feel more responsive, despite the lack of a new chip. And the same source predicts the Pixel Watch 3’s display will be twice as bright as its predecessor, hitting 2,000 nits of peak brightness (up from 1,000 nits).
Previous leaks from July 31 revealed that the Pixel Watch 3 will give us around 24 hours of battery life, in both the 41mm and 45mm versions of the watch. Those Android Headlines leaks revealed that the accompanying Wear OS 5 update will bring us updates to several of Google's first-party apps.
These include Google Maps, which should have offline support, and Google Home, which will apparently let you view a live feed from a Google Nest camera, if you want to check on your pet.
Going back even further, the Pixel Watch 3 was rumored to feature Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology in early July. That's the standard that enables location tracking and short-range communication with a high level of accuracy, and could be used to improve the Pixel Watch's ability to unlock your Android phone (which is handled via Bluetooth on Google's existing smartwatches).
Lastly, it looks like we're getting some new color options with the Pixel Watch 3. The smaller 41mm model is predicted to come with a silver case and a rose quartz band option, alongside the case and band options we saw last time (black and obsidian, gold and hazelnut, and silver and porcelain).
If you opt for the larger 45mm size, you'll apparently get both the black/obsidian and silver/porcelain combinations, as well as a hazelnut case and band.
Google Pixel Watch 3: What we want to see
While we wait for more Google Pixel Watch 3 rumors and leaks to surface, we have some ideas about how Google could improve the device compared to the Pixel Watch 2 — could Google finally make a five-star smartwatch?
1. Smarter statistics
It was back in 2021 when Google acquired Fitbit, but it still seems like the work of integrating Fitbit's health and fitness insights into Pixel devices is still a work in progress — something that could change with the Pixel Watch 3.
Fitbit Premium is now part of a Google One subscription in at least one country, and we're expecting some of the same advanced features (including detailed sleep analysis and a daily readiness score) to come to the upcoming Google Pixel wearable.
2. Longer battery life
It's the perennial request of smartwatch owners: longer battery life, especially when these devices are expected to track sleep and daily activities (it's hard to get a full picture of how well you're sleeping if your wearable is charging every night).
While the Pixel Watch 2 impressed by achieving up to 24 hours between charges, we still think Google can do better than that with the Pixel 3. There's still a long way to go before it manages to get the same time between charges as Garmin's best watches.
3. Smoother software
While it's true that Google has shown more love for Wear OS lately, it still feels awkward and clunky in places. There have been rumors that Wear OS 5 could debut this year, with Google and Samsung working together on the software project.
We're not sure what improvements Wear OS will bring, but smoother performance and new customizations would be very welcome. In other words, we're looking forward to seeing a software experience that lives up to the quality of the Pixel Watch 3's hardware.
Everything is getting smarter these days, and we don't think the Pixel Watch 3 will be left behind: it's possible that Gemini's generative AI features will be built directly into the wearable, or at least made available through a Pixel phone connected to the smartwatch.
We've seen Samsung introduce a ton of AI features this year with the Galaxy S24, and we know it plans to extend these tools to its smartwatches as well. That puts pressure on Google, which could mean features like live translation capabilities right on your wrist.
5. Simpler band fixings
The band attachment method used by the Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 works, but only just: it's a bit fiddly for our tastes and tends to discourage you from switching bands. There's definitely room for improvement here.
Speaking of bands, a greater variety of bands would also be welcome with the Pixel Watch 3. This is one area where the Apple Watch 9 is really strong (as were all of its predecessors) – a different band can really change the look and feel of a smartwatch.
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