What you need to know
- The first renders of a rumored Google Pixel Watch have leaked.
- The images show a watch case with a round design, slim bezels, and a single crown.
- The Pixel Watch could launch at the upcoming Google I/O alongside the rumored Pixel Buds A.
Google has done much of the software work for Wear OS, but there hasn't been any hardware from the company. After years of rumors about Google launching its own Wear OS smartwatch to complement its Pixel smartphones, it appears we may actually be getting one. Well-known leaker Jon Prosser recently unveiled a series of renders that are purported to be the new Google Pixel Watch, known internally as "Rohan," and it looks like it could be one of the best Android smartwatches to release this year.
You can see from the images that the Pixel Watch sports a round case with a single rotating crown. It doesn't look all that different from the LG Watch Style, albeit with a "bezel-less" design that wraps around the watch case in a curve that resembles the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2. The watch bands also appear to take cues from the less traditional style of the Apple Watch Series 6 bands in how they attach to the watch. Unfortunately, there's no word on specs, but the watch is likely to run Wear OS.
It's important to note that these renders are not official but instead are digital recreations of actual images of the watch as seen by Jon Prosser, so take what you observe with a grain of salt. But if Google is reportedly working on a Pixel Watch, that would hint at a revitalized focus on its troubled smartwatch OS.
Last year's launch of the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 followed by Google's H-MR2 update seemed to signal the beginning of a resurgence that so far has yet to be seen. However, there have been indications that Google is working to improve Wear OS functionality, particularly now that it's opening up more development tools for the platform. Launching its own hardware for Wear OS will prove that Google is fully committed to the platform's success and may inspire other OEMs to hop (back) on.
While there's no confirmed launch for the Pixel Watch, but if the leak is to be believed, it's likely to come alongside the rumored Google Pixel 6 later this year.
