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Google begins building its walled garden with the Pixel Watch

By Anam Hamid

Published: May 12, 2022, 7:09 AM

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Google Wearables

Google begins building its walled garden with the Pixel Watch

Google yesterday announced its first smartwatch, the Pixel Watch, during the I/O conference alongside a slate of other products. This was more of a teaser and a full reveal is coming this fall. It looks like the watch is Android only and will not work with Apple's iPhones.

As rumors and leaked images had suggested, the Pixel Watch has a circular design, a tactile crown, a side button, and customizable bands. The wearable will unsurprisingly run an improved version of Wear OS 3 that Google and Samsung have jointly developed. Apart from native Google apps, Google Wallet, and Google Home, the watch also has some Fitbit features.

Although Fitbit's products work with the iPhone as well, this won't be the case for the Pixel Watch. The accessory will only be compatible with smartphones running Android 8.0 or later, and a Google Account will also be needed.

#GooglePixelWatch coming this fall *

Track health and fitness goals w/ @Fitbit**
Control your home w/ the Google Home app for Wear OS***
Access Google Assistant, hands-free****#GoogleIO pic.twitter.com/3GwmJ2ud6X
— Made By Google (@madebygoogle) May 11, 2022

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic which also run Wear OS 3 are also not compatible with the iPhone. Google appears to be backtracking on its commitment to support iOS, but in the Mountain View giant's defense, Apple's smartwatches also don't work with Android phones, so Google is not obliged to play nice.

Apple's strategy is to create a closed ecosystem and Google appears to be following suit. The company also teased a tablet and smart glasses during yesterday's event, which is a clear indication that it wants to create an entire ecosystem of products that work together.

Whether it will be as successful as Apple remains to be seen, but its recent efforts are surely starting to pay off. Google has kept the core specs of the Pixel Watch under wraps, so it's a little hard to say anything about it beating the current best watches of 2022.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.

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Google begins building its walled garden with the Pixel Watch

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