Over the past couple of weeks, Ringke has put out a few accessories for the Pixel Watch that none of us really saw coming. Of the chief concerns for Google’s new wearable, the long-term durability is definitely at the top of many people’s lists. Though the Pixel Watch looks gorgeous and feels fantastic on the wrist thanks to this luxurious pebble-like shape, the fear of bumping it on common, everyday objects is a legit one.
Not only did Ringke launch a metallic bumper, they also unveiled a few versions of thier TPU, hard-shell bumper cases that just began shipping out to customers in the past few days. We’ve just received our cases in the office (quite literally as I am writing this) and have had only a few minutes of hands-on time, but I can tell you that it is easy to attach and looks just as good in person as it does in their product images. We’re going to put together a quick video later today on these new watch cases, so stay tuned for that.
A surprising accessory addition
To my surprise, another Pixel Watch accessory just landed in the form of two metal link watch bands – dubbed the Metal One Band – in both silver and black. We saw Google’s attractive take on the fairly-standard metal band at their hardware event, and we’ve all expressed interest in buying one when they do come available sometime in the spring of 2023. But that’s quite a while to wait, and in that waiting period, it was only a matter of time before someone filled the gap.
With what looks like the first legitimate attempt at a 3rd-party metal band (there are some sketchy ones on Ebay at the moment), Ringke is providing a solid-looking band for a slightly-inflated price. Don’t get me wrong, the Google-made equivalent will come it at $200, so anything south of that number is absolutely welcomed. However, when compared with their own Metal One Bands for other watches (like the $38 Apple Watch Metal One Band), the $99 asking price seems a bit too high.
Granted, I don’t know anything about this product, so I don’t want to judge it too quickly. Perhaps it is a better quality band than the one made for the Samsung Galaxy Watch or Apple Watch, but it sure looks the same. Maybe the smaller inventory or proprietary connector pushed up the price for the first run of these, too. Right now, I have no way to compare or know, so on the outside, it just appears that Ringke is charging a premium for the Pixel Watch metal band with no solid reasoning as to why.
You can’t buy the Ringke Metal One Band just yet
Unfortunately, at the moment, you can’t buy this band. However, the fact that Ringke put it on their site tells me that you will be able to soon. Both bumper cases for the Pixel Watch showed up and began shipping within a few weeks. I have little reason to think that won’t be the case with this watch band as well. For right now, you can sign up to be alerted when it becomes available for order and there’s currently no way to actually place your pre-order. You can do that via the link below.
Assuming the design, fit, finish and stainless steel quality is good on this band, I think they will sell quite a few of them. Not only is it the only real option for this look on a Pixel Watch right now, it could end up being in that seat for weeks or months if no one else shows up to market with one. While not a highly-known company, Ringke has been at the accessory game for years and they make great stuff. Even when Google’s own metal band comes around, if Ringke makes this band as good as all their other accessories, I think they’ll continue selling just fine.
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