Google delays next Pixel Watch update until March 2025

Google revealed yesterday that it began rolling out a significant update that will reach the entire lineup for the Pixel Watch this month. While the announcement was met with much excitement for Pixel Watch owners, particularly those that have the older models, there was one line in that post that was of particular interest — the reveal that the next Pixel Watch update won't be released until March 2025. This change marks a departure from the usual monthly updates that Pixel Watch users have become accustomed to.

Traditionally, Pixel Watch updates have been fairly frequent, often coinciding with Pixel phone updates. These updates primarily focused on security patches, with new features typically being rolled out through the Play Store. However, Google's November 2024 update for all three Pixel Watch generations included an announcement of a longer gap between updates.

This shift to a less frequent update schedule could be attributed to a desire to optimize engineering resources and deliver more substantial updates on a quarterly basis. While this may mean fewer updates overall, it could potentially lead to more polished and feature-rich releases in the long run.

The November 2024 update brought some notable changes to the Pixel Watch lineup. Most importantly, it brought Wear OS 5 to the Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2, finally giving those users the new features and updated interface enjoyed by Pixel Watch 3 owners. The update also included the latest security patches for all three generations of Pixel Watch.

Pixel Watch 3 in its 41mm and 45mm variants. | Image credit — PhoneArena

Interestingly, this move towards less frequent updates aligns with a recent change in Google's approach to Android releases. Historically, Android has seen major version updates annually, with smaller updates sprinkled throughout the year. However, there's been a growing trend towards larger, less frequent Android updates, focusing on significant feature additions and platform improvements.

The next major update for the Pixel Watch is expected to align with a Feature Drop in March 2025. In the meantime, users can still anticipate app-level updates through the December Pixel Drop.

As a Pixel Watch user, I'm a little disappointed by the news of less frequent updates. I've always appreciated the regular security patches and occasional new features. However, I also understand the potential benefits of focusing on larger, more polished updates. I'm hopeful that this change will lead to an even better user experience in the future.