Google is not going to be releasing a Pixel smartwatch device this year, according to Tom’s Guide. This contradicts a number of rumors that were circulating earlier this year. Google’s director of engineering for Wear OS Miles Barr had confirmed the rumors in a call with Tom’s Guide last week.
Rather than launching its own smartwatch hardware, Google will be improving upon Wear OS for its partners like Casio and Fossil. The new version of Wear OS is expected to be showcased at IFA. “To think of a one-size-fits-all watch, I don’t think we’re there yet,” said Barr. “Our focus is on our partners for now.”
One of the reasons why Google is not developing its own hardware yet is because of the wide range of preferences for consumers. There are some watches that are intended for fitness and others have more of an emphasis on fashion. But it is rare to find watches that cater to both preferences.
What would a Pixel watch be like? “Our Google Pixel line of phones is the best experience and Google’s take on it, so I imagine we would focus heavily on the (Google) Assistant to integrate AI and machine learning into the device, which is Google’s forte,” Barr told Tom’s Guide.
Wear OS will prominently feature Google Assistant, which will display contextual information based on your schedule. And there will also be an emphasis on fitness with workout rings so you can monitor your activity progress. And there will be other metrics around fitness besides the 10,000 step goal.
Next year, Google also plans to release a software update for Wear OS that will improve the battery life of smartwatches. This will be based on similar technology used for improving the battery life on Android smartphones.
“The doze mode, like in Android, will power things down when the watch is less active, when you’re interacting with it less,” Barr added in the Tom’s Guide interview. “The most extreme example is when I take it off and it powers down the radios and things like that, which lowers the power consumption. It will turn off the screen. Similarly to how in main Android, (we’re) using machine learning to optimize when it runs different processes to minimize power usage.”
