Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
A leaked render surfaced yesterday showing the upcoming Google Pixel Watch 4’s new charging mechanism, and it’s safe to say that it received a lot of gut reactions from us here at Android Authority. From “… interesting,” to “I strongly dislike that,” to a clear “I hate this,” my colleagues’ thoughts weren’t all that positive, but I took one look at it and… liked it?! I guess.
There’s no denying that the contraption looks bizarre and unlike most smartwatch chargers we’ve seen in recent years. It certainly doesn’t resemble the Pixel Watch 1, 2, or 3 chargers that I’ve used, nor does it look anything like the Galaxy Watch, One Plus Watch, or Apple Watch chargers. But with that new design come many net positives, and some clear negatives, too.
How do you feel about the Pixel Watch 4's side charger? 447 votes I like it! 38 % I hate it! 20 % I'm indifferent 21 % I don't know yet 21 %
The Pixel Watch’s charging is terrible; this could fix it
Every time I’ve tried to charge my Pixel Watch (1, 2, or 3) on its charger, I’ve hit a real snag. The watch, with the included rubber band, doesn’t really like staying flat on any surface; it tends to bend up. If I’m in a hurry, this will result in the watch flopping on its side, with the cable sticking up. It looks so awkward and unsteady that I end up flipping the watch back on its display to make sure the cable stays put and doesn’t get yanked away by an errant gesture.
I’m not comfortable rubbing my glass watch on any surface, even my apparently clean desk — who knows how many dust particles are hiding there — but this face-down position has been the most stable way of charging a Pixel Watch for three generations now. And if you have any other one-piece, no-buckle watch band, such as the Pixel Watch Stretch Band, this is practically the only way you can charge your watch without detaching the strap every day.
I always set out to charge my Pixel Watch with its screen up, but end up with it sideways or flopped down on my desk.
The rumored Pixel Watch 4’s side charger fixes that by design. The watch no longer has to be forced to lie flat, which it can’t, nor will it flop back on its screen. It can stand sideways and should remain stable like that because the charger holds it in place. I appreciate that improvement.
There are more advantages to a side charger
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