Google makes the Pixel Watch official at Google I/O 2022

Well, the main Keynote from Google I/O 2022 is in the books and by far, this is the most hardware ever announced at a single Google I/O event. As a matter of fact, the number of Google hardware devices talked about in the keynote likely beats out most of Google’s fall announcements, too. That’s a far cry from what I expected, for sure, but we’re not complaining! As a part of all the hardware (expected and unexpected) that was unveiled today, the highly-anticipated Pixel Watch was finally made official.

Let’s be clear: there wasn’t much left to the imagination with this device, but there were some sweet new shots of it on stage that give us a better look at this device on some wrists. We also got to see a bit more about the Fitbit integration, and owning a Fitbit Versa 3, I can confirm that the software parts of that marriage will feel very at home for current Fitbit users.

While things like the processor, price and exact shipment dates were left out of the presentation, Rick Osterloh did give us a few tidbits to expect. First, when he mentions the customizable bands, you see a subtle shift in the watch face, telling us that these bands will likely slide into place with a subtle turn. It will also feature an “improved Wear OS UI with more fluid navigations and smart notifications.”

Again, he mentions the idea that the watch is built to be tappable, voice-enabled, and glanceable – things we’ve seen in previously leaked marketing materials. Not surprisingly, Google Assistant is front and center, but apps like Google Maps (without the need of your phone), the new Google Wallet, and even a Google Home will be present to make this watch incredibly helpful as well.

The only dates we have right now are “coming this fall with Pixel 7 and 7 Pro,” and I’d take that to mean some time in October. While I wish Google would tell us what is powering the Pixel Watch (Tensor?) and what the price tag will be, I suppose I’m happy to see that what we’ve seen in the leaks is all true. As long as the pricing is within reason and there aren’t a ton of bugs, this watch could be one of the best Android watches yet. Time will tell.