Android followers searching for a good watch it is sleeker than a health watch however extra useful than a hybrid watch does not have many choices to select from. However the Pixel Watch manages to examine that field, even when it does not do all the things else.

I revisited the Pixel Watch about 5 months after it launched and my first impressions largely stay the identical. Except for its sharp seems, Google’s first smartwatch excels with its easy-to-use software program and Fitbit’s large number of well being metrics. The identical downsides additionally apply: Battery life is not so long as I would like, and the bezels framing the display screen are too noticeable at occasions.

It is the best-looking Android watch but, with a couple of caveats

Pixel Watch’s eye-catching design continues to be its greatest attribute. That is necessary, as a result of a tool you put on in your wrist all day (and night time) must feel and appear like one thing you truly wish to put on. Rounded glass edges, stainless-steel supplies and gentle pebble-like form give it a extra polished look than the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 OR Fitbit sense 2. As an individual with small wrists, the Pixel Watch feels extra pure than most smartwatches I’ve worn.

However these advantages include some trade-offs. The Pixel Watch solely is available in one dimension, which is probably not appropriate for these with massive wrists or those that choose bigger screens. Whereas I just like the tiny look of the Pixel Watch, I want the display screen was a little bit larger so it might accommodate extra problems – what watchmakers name the little sub dials, however on smartwatches it is often issues like time monitoring. temperature and exercise. I often put on a 45mm Apple Watch Collection 6 when i take advantage of an iphone and that display screen can present six problems on the identical time. On my favourite Pixel Watch face, I can solely match three.

The extra urgent situation, nevertheless, is that the Pixel Watch’s bezels can typically distract from the design, as I wrote in my preliminary assessment. Most of the time, the darkish background of the software program blends properly with the clock frames. However you may truly see the frames once you use a colourful app or the Images watch face.

Battery life is about the identical as rivals

Earlier than Google introduced the Pixel Watch, I hoped it will inherit Fitbit’s wonderful battery life. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. In my expertise, the Pixel Watch can final a little bit over a day on a single cost, which roughly matches the battery lifetime of the Apple Watch Collection 8 AND Samsung Galaxy Watch 5. After about 27 hours of use, for instance, my watch had 12% battery left.

I turned off the always-on show and largely tracked indoor exercises that did not require a GPS connection whereas utilizing the watch, save for logging some outside walks. Each of those options usually drain your battery quicker, which implies you will get much less mileage out of your watch in the event you use them.

This is not a giant deal in the event you intend to cost the watch in a single day. However since I have been making an attempt to get extra sleep these days, I have been utilizing Fitbit’s in-depth sleep monitoring. This made it troublesome to know after I ought to carve out time to place my Pixel Watch on the charger. I even needed to practice with out my Pixel Watch whereas it was charging on one event, making me really feel like I wasn’t getting credit score for my indoor biking session.

Pixel Watch works nice with non-Pixel Android telephones

Google has positioned the Pixel Watch as a Pixel telephone companion, however it works the identical means with different Android gadgets. I used the Pixel Watch with a Pixel 7 throughout my preliminary October assessment, however this time I paired it with a Galaxy S23 Plus after which A Galaxy Z Fold 4. Regardless of which telephone you are utilizing, you arrange and handle the watch by Google’s Watch app, whereas I relied on the Fitbit app to trace my well being stats.

Getting began with the Watch was simply as simple on a Samsung telephone because it was on the Pixels 7. As a result of it helps Google’s Quick Pair function, my Samsung gadgets have been in a position to detect the Pixel Watch as quickly as I introduced the watch near my telephone, prompting me to put in the Watch app instantly.

This makes the Pixel Watch interesting to a wider viewers of Android customers, however it additionally signifies that there is not essentially something interesting to customers in Google’s particular Pixel ecosystem. Samsung, then again, restricts the ECG operate of the Galaxy Watch to Galaxy telephone customers solely.

Unsurprisingly, the Pixel Watch is not suitable with iPhones. However different Put on OS watch makers like Fossil supply help for iOS.

The identical negatives nonetheless exist, presumably with some new ones

Except for the battery life and the bezel, there are two shortcomings that could possibly be of concern to those that often use their look ahead to well being and health monitoring.

First, the Pixel Watch cannot routinely detect and begin a exercise whilst you’re in your wrist, or present notifications for prime and low coronary heart charges. This may be necessary to contemplate for many who wish to regulate their coronary heart well being.

These are glitches that existed at launch, however some customers have since reported new points. Some Pixel Watch house owners have claimed that the alarms they set on their Pixel Watch went off a couple of minutes later than anticipated, as reported by 9to5Google. For what it is value, I usually use the alarm function on the Pixel Watch and have not encountered this downside. A Google spokesperson mentioned the corporate will replace the Pixel Watch’s Clock app by the Play Retailer within the coming weeks to repair these alarm points.

The Pixel Watch will evolve over time

However maybe the most important revelation to emerge in current months is that the Pixel Watch will proceed to evolve over time, identical to Google’s Pixel telephones. Google rolled out a few new options, like fall detection and Fitbit sleep profiles, the latter of which is just accessible to Fitbit Premium members and offers a deeper perception into your sleep patterns. Nonetheless, each options deliver the Pixel Watch updated with different Apple and Fitbit watches slightly than introducing one thing solely new.

Most significantly, corporations like Google, Apple, and Samsung are all discovering new methods to deliver cool options to their respective smartwatches by software program updates as an alternative of simply {hardware}. Apples WatchOS 9 replace final fall, for instance, introduced higher sleep monitoring and extra metrics for runners. Samsung, in the meantime, has improved the digicam remotes on the soon-to-launch Galaxy Watch 5 cycle monitoring.

The Pixel Watch’s glossy design and Fitbit’s well being monitoring nonetheless make it an important alternative for Android gadget house owners. It’s miles from good, however I can not wait to see the place Google takes it subsequent.

First posted March 21, 2023 at 5:00am PT.