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Google Store redesign indicates imminent Pixel Watch announcement

The online Google Store has received its first major update since 2020, rearranging some elements and giving a fresh look to the overall design of the website. Curiously, a new tab dubbed the “Watches” menu has been added to the top of the digital storefront, which raises the eyebrows of many Google fans. It appears as if the “Fitbit” widget has been replaced with the much more general “Watches” tab, which is significant seeing as Google doesn’t make any watches. That is, the company hasn’t officially announced that it’s making watches — yet.

It doesn’t take a super sleuth to detect that Google is planning on releasing a Pixel Watch. Rumors and leaks have been going around for several years at this point indicating that the company has been looking to get deeper into the wearable tech scene, but there hasn’t been much official word from Google on the subject.

Screenshot of the Google store
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Although a verbiage change on the company’s web store hardly counts as “official word,” it does seem to indicate that something is going on with Google’s wearable tech. Given how close Google I/O 2022 is, it seems to stand to reason that a Pixel Watch announcement could finally come at the event.

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This isn’t the first time that Google’s online store has changed its wording around its products to give more updated information to customers. As pointed out by 9to5Google, the company previously changed a tab from “Laptops & Tablets” to just “Laptops” following the discontinuation of the Pixel Slate, so there’s precedent for Google to update its store to match its current lineup of products.

When exploring the Watch section of the store, there’s not much to report on just yet. It consists of the same Fitbit offerings that were available previously without any reference to a potential upcoming Pixel Watch. The bottom of the page does provide shoppers the option to receive email updates when the store’s stock changes, but that feature isn’t exclusive to the Watches section.

Peter Hunt Szpytek
A podcast host and journalist, Peter covers mobile news with Digital Trends and gaming news, reviews, and guides for sites…
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