Google has a one-track mind these days: jamming Gemini down our throats in hopes of making the AI chatbot ubiquitous just by brute force. Case in point: Gemini replaces the Google Assistant in the Pixel Watch 4. Sounds good to have a smarter voice assistant available at the rise of your wrist, but as I found out, it’s hardly that much more “intelligent,” but at least the rest of the smartwatch’s hardware is very upgraded.
By upgraded, I mean the Pixel Watch 4, Google’s fourth-generation smartwatch, finally holds its own against even several-year-old Apple Watches and Samsung Galaxy Watches. Google took many generations to catch up, but it finally has. Gemini may be all Google cares about, but if all you want is a smartwatch for Android that looks great, lasts longer, more accurately tracks your health and fitness, and doesn’t come with a Samsung or OnePlus logo on it, the Pixel Watch 4 should fulfill your needs.
Google Pixel Watch 4 Google's Pixel Watch 4 is finally a competitive smartwatch to the Apple Watch Series 11 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 8. 4 Pros Bigger, brighter domed display
Longer battery
More accurate health and fitness tracking
Redesigned fast-charging dock Cons Gemini is hit or miss
Still has finicky band attachment mechanism
Subtle quality-of-life tweaks
Last year, Google finally did what everybody had been begging for: it added a larger model. So Google gave us the 45mm Pixel Watch 3. The battery life was better, too. The Pixel Watch 3 was improved, but it was overall a minor spec refresh. The Pixel Watch 4, starting at $350, takes the Pixel Watch 3 and tweaks it in practical ways that you can and can’t immediately see.
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