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Google Pixel Watch 2 may launch a lot sooner than we thought

Joe Maring
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We’re expecting a lot of Google Pixel hardware in 2023, and according to one new report, one of Google’s upcoming releases this year is the Pixel Watch 2.

A report from 9to5Google on May 5 cites a “source” that claims the Google Pixel Watch 2 will be released later this fall alongside the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. Given Google’s past Pixel smartphone releases, that means we’ll likely see the Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel 8 series debut in early October.

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We could see the Pixel Watch 2 next week

A person wearing the Google Pixel Watch.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

With Google I/O right around the corner, it’s entirely possible we’ll get an early preview of the Pixel Watch 2 during the keynote next week. Google first teased the original Pixel Watch at I/O 2022 last May before fully unveiling it the following October. A small tease at this year’s I/O isn’t guaranteed, but it’s also not out of the question.

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While this news is exciting for the Pixel Watch 2, it also gives us a better idea of how Google plans to handle the Pixel Watch series going forward. It wasn’t clear if Google planned on doing annual upgrades for the Pixel Watch, but assuming this report is true, it sure seems like that’ll be the case.

The Pixel Watch 2 has its work cut out for it

Google Pixel Watch with a recycled loop strap.
Andrew Martonik / Digital Trends

So, what do we want to see in the Pixel Watch 2? A lot of things! Google nailed the comfort and basic health-tracking aspects of the original Pixel Watch, but there’s so much it can improve with a successor.

The biggest thing the Pixel Watch 2 needs to address is battery life. The Pixel Watch fails to make it through a full day of use in our testing, and that’s unacceptable for a smartwatch today. Improving battery life is easier said than done, but Google has several options.

For starters, it could use a newer chipset. The Pixel Watch’s Exynos processor has been outdated for a while now, which doesn’t help the battery life situation one bit. With Qualcomm’s much more powerful — and efficient — Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 platform available, Google has an easy solution to this problem. Increasing the Pixel Watch’s case size (or offering two size options) would also allow for a larger battery capacity.

But battery life isn’t the only thing. We’d also love to see the Pixel Watch 2 ship with a drastically smaller display bezel, offer more robust fitness features, and maybe try offering a special-edition model to compete with the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and Apple Watch Ultra.

Will any of that actually happen? We can’t say for sure quite yet, but with a fall release apparently happening, we shouldn’t have too much longer to wait before we learn more.

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Joe Maring
Joe Maring
Section Editor, Mobile
Joe Maring is the Section Editor for Digital Trends' Mobile team, leading the site's coverage for all things smartphones…
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