Pixel Watch 4 is here: The biggest upgrade to Google’s smartwatch is still the same price

After months of leaks, the Pixel Watch 4 is finally here! Even though the watch looks familiar, there are plenty of changes on board that add up to a new and improved experience. But are these enough to make the Pixel Watch 4 the best smartwatch for Android phones? Let’s find out as we explore everything you need to know about the newly launched Pixel Watch 4. Google Pixel Watch 4: Release date, price, and availability Pixel Watch 4 41mm (Wi-Fi): $349.99 / €399 / £349 $349.99 / €399 / £349 Pixel Watch 4 41mm (LTE): $449.99 / €499/ £449 Pixel Watch 4 45mm (Wi-Fi): $399.99 / €449 / £399 $399.99 / €449 / £399 Pixel Watch 4 45mm (LTE): $499.99 / €549/ £499 Google has officially launched the Pixel Watch 4 alongside the Pixel 10 series on August 20. While pre-orders open the same day, retail availability begins only from October 9 onwards. That’s a month and a half of waiting between the first pre-orders and when users can get the smartwatch on their wrist. Google Pixel Watch 4 Google Pixel Watch 4 Emergency Satellite communications • Power AI on your wrist • Capable health and fitness tracking MSRP: $349.00 The best Pixel Watch to date. The Google Pixel Watch 4 series is available in 41mm and 45mm sizes, and Wi-Fi and LTE variants of each size. The Actua 360 Display is a domes AMOLED panel with 3,000 nits of brightness, and a large viewing area with greatly reduced bezels over previous models. Multiple-day battery life and quick charging power a wide array of health and fitness sensors to keep you informed on the go. See price at Amazon While the availability delay is a bummer, Google has retained the same pricing as the previous Pixel Watch 3. This is great news for consumers who get to enjoy a refined product at the same price as its predecessor. Just like last year, we also have a smaller 41mm case and a larger 45mm watch case, giving users options to suit their wrists. Both sizes are available in Wi-Fi and LTE variants, and outside of the display size and battery life, they are identical. If you want to buy the Pixel Watch 4, you can pre-order it through the Google Store. If you buy the LTE variant, you get two years of connectivity via Google Fi in the US. Google Pixel Watch 4: Colors, bands, design, and sizes Rita El Khoury / Android Authority Starting with the design, the overall look of the Pixel Watch 4 is very similar to that of the Pixel Watch 3. However, Google says it has completely redesigned and rethought the new watch, inside and out, marking it as the biggest upgrade to the Pixel Watch. For starters, the Pixel Watch 4’s brand-new display is still a dome but slightly flatter. On the inside, the Pixel Watch 4 is designed to be serviceable, meaning parts like the battery and display are replaceable, which is a first for Google’s Watch lineup. There’s also a new skin temperature sensor on the back of the device, which is placed slightly differently due to a change in curvature. We’ll be exploring more of the spec changes in the coming sections. Google The Pixel Watch 4 has the same overall dimensions as the Pixel Watch 3 and 2. The 41mm variant is 12.3mm thick and weighs 31g without the strap. The 45mm variant shares the thickness but weighs 36.7g. Google includes a small and a large band in the package for both variants, though the sizing of the band set varies. For the 45mm, the small band fits wrists 150-185mm around, and the large band fits wrists 165-215mm around. On the smaller 41mm, the small band fits wrists 130-175mm around, and the large band fits wrists 165-210mm around. Both the 41mm and 45mm variants sport an aluminum watch case and ship with a fluoroelastomer Active band. You can get the case and band in the following combinations: 41mm variant: Matte Black case plus Obsidian band Polished Silver case plus Porcelain band Polished Silver case plus Iris band Champagne Gold case plus Lemongrass band Pixel Watch 4 41mm with Matte Black Aluminum case and Obsidian Active Band Pixel Watch 4 41mm with Polished Silver Aluminum case and Porcelain Active Band Pixel Watch 4 41mm with Polished Silver Aluminum case and Iris Active Band Pixel Watch 4 41mm with Champagne Gold Aluminum case and Lemongrass Active Band 45mm variant: Matte Black case plus Obsidian band Polished Silver case plus Porcelain band Satin Moonstone case plus Moonstone band Pixel Watch 4 45mm with Matte Black Aluminum case and Obsidian Active Band Pixel Watch 4 45mm with Polished Silver Aluminum case and Porcelain Active Band Pixel Watch 4 45mm with Satin Moonstone Aluminum case and Moonstone Active Band If you want something exclusive on your wrist, each size variant has an exclusive case finish and a complementing band color. I like the Matte Black case; thankfully, it’s available in both sizes. I also like what the company is doing with the Champagne Gold case, though I wish it were also present on the larger watch case, in case someone wanted to get it on the larger watch size. Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a preferred source in Google Search to support us and make sure you never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. Find out more here. Beyond the included Active band, you can purchase additional bands across several color options to personalize your Pixel Watch 4. Additional band options include Active Sport, Woven, Gradient Stretch, Metal Mesh, Metal Links, Metal Slim, Two-Tone Leather, Crafter Leather, and Performance Loop. Note that the Metal Mesh and Metal Slim bands are incompatible with the first-gen Pixel Watch, in case you were planning to pick either up for your older watch. The others should work fine, though, as long as you pick something up for your case size. Google Pixel Watch 4: Display and battery life C. Scott Brown / Android Authority As mentioned, the Pixel Watch 4’s brand-new display is still a dome but slightly flatter. Google is calling this the Actua 360 display, as the whole display is domed under the glass, and it’s not just the glass that is domed. We get 10% more screen and 16% smaller bezels than the Pixel Watch 3. The display is also 50% brighter, going up to 3,000nits peak brightness for optimal visibility under direct sunlight, and going down to 1nit in the Always On Display mode. The Pixel Watch 4’s display also carries over previous traits from the Pixel Watch 3, so you get the same slick animations on the 60Hz LTPO AMOLED display. The display is protected by a custom 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Rita El Khoury / Android Authority The Pixel Watch 4 sees another significant upgrade to battery life. Not only do we get higher-capacity batteries this year, but the new processor and Wear OS 6 combine to offer 25% longer battery life. For the Pixel Watch 4 41mm, we get a 325mAh battery, compared to the 306mAh battery on the Pixel Watch 3 41mm. On the 45mm variant, the Pixel Watch 4 gets a 455mAh battery versus the 420mAh battery on the larger Watch 3 variant. For the Pixel Watch 3, Google promised approximately 24 hours of use with the Always-on display enabled and up to 36 hours in Battery Saver mode. This battery life claim was on par with the Pixel Watch 2’s battery life claim, so users didn’t really get much of an upgrade last year. The situation has changed drastically this year, as Google claims the smaller Pixel Watch 4 41mm can last up to 30 hours with the Always-on Display, and up to 48 hours in Battery Saver mode. The larger Pixel Watch 4 45mm bumps up these numbers to 40 hours and 72 hours. No matter which variant you get, you get more than a day’s battery life. It’s a small feature, but multi-day battery life allows you to charge your watch at the same time and schedule every day, which I really look forward to. Rita El Khoury / Android Authority The upgrades extend to charging, too, as the Pixel Watch 4 boasts 25% faster charging (7.5W) compared to the Pixel Watch 3 (5W). When using the Pixel Watch 4’s Quick Charge Dock (included) paired with a 30W adapter (not included), both models can charge from 0% to 50% in about 15 minutes, which is really neat. The 41mm Pixel Watch 4 takes about 25 minutes to reach 80%, while a full charge takes about 45 minutes. The larger 45mm Pixel Watch 4 takes about 30 minutes to reach 80%, while a full charge takes about 60 minutes. Rita El Khoury / Android Authority With the Pixel Watch 4, Google is also debuting a new side-mounted charging dock. When you place your Pixel Watch 4 on this dock, the watch will display information like time, current battery percentage, time remaining until fully charged, and upcoming alarms. As mentioned above, the Pixel Watch 4 is designed to be serviceable, as its battery and display can be replaced by repair technicians. Google says that replaceable batteries will be available at launch and up to two years after the product’s end of life. Google Pixel Watch 4: Features The Pixel Watch 4 carries over all the features from the Pixel Watch 3 and some. Here are the highlight additions and upgrades that you get with this generation of Google’s smartwatch: Wear OS 6 Rita El Khoury / Android Authority Once again, Samsung has beaten Google to the punch: The Galaxy Watch 8 series is the first Wear OS 6-powered smartwatch in the market. The Pixel Watch 4 still marks the official debut of the new Wear OS platform update on Google’s own smartwatch. Wear OS 6 features plenty of design upgrades, with Material 3 Expressive as the highlight. We get richer notifications that are easier to glance, more expressive tiles, edge-hugging buttons, and shape-morphing lists. The experience is designed to feel delightful and premium and should work well with the Pixel Watch 4’s domed display. We are also getting new watch faces with Wear OS 6 on the Pixel Watch 4. Users will be able to choose from themes based on the watch face’s colors. AI-powered Activity Recognition System It wouldn’t be a Pixel product without some AI sprinkled in, and Google is doing just that with the AI-powered Activity Recognition System. The Pixel Watch 4 can track activity in the background if you forget to start an exercise manually. The smartwatch automatically starts, classifies, and sends a summary with cardio load and calories after you’re done. What’s more, the feature also personalizes over time. Emergency Satellite Communications Google The Pixel Watch 4 is the first smartwatch to deliver emergency satellite communications standalone, i.e., without relying on a smartphone. The feature is powered by the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 processor, which allows the Watch 4 to connect to geo-stationary satellites. Users can then connect to emergency responders, share their location, and get assistance, all of it without a cell signal. Emergency satellite communications is included with the Pixel Watch 4 LTE for two years at no additional charge. Note that emergency satellite communication is available only on the LTE variant of the Pixel Watch 4, although you don’t need an active LTE connection or plan for the feature (but you’ll need access to the emergency satellite communication feature, which is free for the first two years, but could be a paid feature later on). Next-gen skin temperature sensing and better sleep tracking Google The Pixel Watch 4 features “next-gen” skin temperature sensing to detect out-of-range temperatures, helping you identify changes in your wellness. Separately, Google claims 18% more accurate sleep detection through the entire sleep cycle and better sleep phase detection. AI-powered Smart Replies The Pixel Watch 4 also comes with AI-powered smart replies. The watch uses the context from your ongoing conversation to suggest responses. Note that this feature is available exclusively when paired with a Pixel 8 or newer Pixel device. Gemini: Raise to Talk Rita El Khoury / Android Authority The Pixel Watch 4 also gets Raise to Talk for Gemini. As the name implies, you can invoke Gemini with a convenient wrist movement, making it the most convenient way to access Gemini on the smartwatch. You no longer need to press a button or say the “Hey Google” hotword, though you can if you still prefer those. Google has said that it is exploring bringing the feature to older watches, but there is no commitment or timeline yet. Personal AI Coach Google Gathering your fitness data is great, but the more important step is figuring out what to do with it. This is where Pixel Watch 4’s Personal AI Coach feature comes into play. Personal AI Coach is designed to be a partner that simplifies your health. It was developed with a team of industry-leading experts in AI, sleep, and behavior changes. It is powered by the combination of Fitbit’s industry-leading innovation and Google’s machine learning capabilities. Personal AI Coach creates personalized fitness and sleep plans uniquely tailored to your needs. The Personal AI Coach starts by understanding your specific health and fitness goals. It then creates personalized fitness and sleep plans uniquely tailored to your needs, with detailed workout suggestions and metric targets focusing on weekly progression. It then offers insights, measures impact, adjusts workouts, and inspires progress, with a focus on in-the-moment guidance, listening, and learning to help you reach your goals. For example, if you wake up with a low readiness because of a poor night’s sleep, it will automatically suggest changes to adjust your weekly plan to help you recover. Of course, since it’s AI, users will also be able to ask the personal AI coach any health and fitness questions. Google promises the answers are backed by science. The Personal AI Coach is part of the completely redesigned Fitbit app, and will be available for all Pixel Watches, and Fitbit trackers and smartwatches. Google says a preview of the personal AI coach feature will begin for Fitbit users in the US in October and will be available as part of Fitbit Premium first. Google Pixel Watch 4: Specs Rita El Khoury / Android Authority Like its predecessors, the Pixel Watch 4 is compatible with a wide range of Android devices. You need a phone running Android 11 or newer, a Google account, and the Google Pixel Watch app on your phone. While compatibility is Android-wide, some features, like AI-powered smart replies, work only when the Pixel Watch 4 is paired with a Pixel smartphone. For its internals, the Pixel Watch 4 comes with an upgrade to the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2, which is claimed to be 25% faster at half the power. The Watch 4 also sports a dual-chip compute architecture for premium performance and long battery life. The co-processor on board is the Cortex-M55, vs the Cortex M33 co-processor on the W5. An underrated upgrade on the Pixel Watch 4 is the presence of Bluetooth 6.0, making this one of the first smartwatches to support the new tech. You also get Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax standards and onboard Satellite SOS communication. UWB, NFC, 4G LTE, and UMTS round up the connectivity suite on the Pixel Watch 4, along with a new and improved dual-frequency GPS. These are more minor details, but the Pixel Watch 4 has a new vibration engine on board that provides 15% stronger haptics for crisper interactions. The speaker has also been upgraded to be clearer. The Watch 4 is IP68 certified for dust and water resistance up to 50m, so you can take it for a swim in the pool without worry. Take a look at the detailed specifications of the Pixel Watch 4in the spec sheet below: Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) Display Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) Diameter: 41mm Custom 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 320 ppi AMOLED LTPO display with DCI-P3 color Up to 3,000 nits (peak brightness) 1 nit minimum brightness (AOD) Responsive Display (1–60 Hz) Always-on display Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) Diameter: 45mm Custom 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 320 ppi AMOLED LTPO display with DCI-P3 color Up to 3,000 nits (peak brightness) 1 nit minimum brightness (AOD) Responsive Display (1–60 Hz) Always-on display Materials and finishes Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) 100% recycled aluminum Active band: Fluoroelastomer with soft-touch coating Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) 100% recycled aluminum Active band: Fluoroelastomer with soft-touch coating Dimensions and weight Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) Diameter: 41mm Height: 12.3mm 31g (without band) Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) Diameter: 45mm Height: 12.3mm 36.7g (without band) Chip Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Cortex M55 co-processor Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Cortex M55 co-processor Storage and memory Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) 32GB eMMC flash 2GB SDRAM Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) 32GB eMMC flash 2GB SDRAM Power Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) 325mAh (typical) Up to 30 hours with always-on display USB-C Fast charging cable Promised charging speed: About 15 minutes to 50% About 25 minutes to 80% About 45 minutes to 100% Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) 455mAh (typical) Up to 40 hours with always-on display USB-C Fast charging cable Promised charging speed: About 15 minutes to 50% About 30 minutes to 80% About 60 minutes to 100% Software Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) Wear OS 6.0 Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) Wear OS 6.0 Sensors Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) Compass Altimeter Blood oxygen sensor Multipurpose electrical sensor Multi-path optical heart rate sensor Accelerometer Gyroscope Ambient light sensor Electrical sensor to measure cEDA Skin temperature sensor Barometer Magnetometer Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) Compass Altimeter Blood oxygen sensor Multipurpose electrical sensor Multi-path optical heart rate sensor Accelerometer Gyroscope Ambient light sensor Electrical sensor to measure cEDA Skin temperature sensor Barometer Magnetometer Interaction Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) Side button Haptic crown Premium haptics Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) Side button Haptic crown Premium haptics Audio Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) Built-in microphone Built-in speaker Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) Built-in microphone Built-in speaker Features Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) Fitbit health and fitness Google Maps Google Wallet Google Assistant Messages and notifications YouTube Music NFC Emergency SOS International emergency calling Fall detection (up to 32 g-forces) Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) Fitbit health and fitness Google Maps Google Wallet Google Assistant Messages and notifications YouTube Music NFC Emergency SOS International emergency calling Fall detection (up to 32 g-forces) Durability Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) 5ATM + IP68 Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) 5ATM + IP68 Connectivity Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) 4G LTE and UMTS Bluetooth 5.3 Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz, 5GHz NFC, UWB GPS, GLONASS, Galileo Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) 4G LTE and UMTS Bluetooth 5.3 Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz, 5GHz NFC, UWB GPS, GLONASS, Galileo Compatibility Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) Android 11.0 or newer Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) Android 11.0 or newer Band Size Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) Active band: Small: 130-175mm around Large: 165-210mm around Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) Active band: Small: 150-185mm around Large: 165-215mm around What’s in the Box Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) Google Pixel Watch 3 (41mm) Active Band (small and large wristbands) USB-C Fast Charging Cable Quick Start Guide Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) Google Pixel Watch 3 (45mm) Active Band (small and large wristbands) USB-C Fast Charging Cable Quick Start Guide Warranty Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) US, CA, JP, India, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia and Mexico: 1 year UK, EEA, France, Switzerland and Australia: 2 years Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) US, CA, JP, India, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia and Mexico: 1 year UK, EEA, France, Switzerland and Australia: 2 years Colors Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm) Matte Black Aluminum case / Obsidian Active band Polished Silver Aluminum case / Porcelain Active band Polished Silver Aluminum case / Iris Active band Champagne Gold Aluminum case / Lemongrass Active band Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) Matte Black Aluminum case / Obsidian Active Band Polished Silver Aluminum case / Porcelain Active Band Satin Moonstone Aluminum case / Moonstone Active Band Is the Google Pixel Watch 4 worth it? C. Scott Brown / Android Authority Previous generations of Pixel Watch have been pretty good, but the Pixel Watch 4 represents Google’s most significant leap forward. Not only are we getting better specifications, it all ties back into a better experience than ever before, so it’s not just impactless words on a spec sheet. The Pixel Watch 4 packs enough features and upgrades to justify its price, which Google has surprisingly managed to maintain for this generation. Google Pixel Watch 4: Hot or not? 25 votes Hot 96 % Not 4 % That being said, the Pixel Watch 4 maintains the sense of familiarity from the Pixel Watch 3. If you can grab the older Watch 3 at a fair discount, you’d still get a decent experience, minus upgrades such as a brighter display, better processor, better battery life, faster charging, repairability, emergency satellite communications, and more. For users not tied to the Google ecosystem, the Galaxy Watch 8 ($349.99 at Amazon) delivers all the smartness you’d need from a watch at a lower price point. If battery life is your top priority, the OnePlus Watch 3 ($329.99 at Amazon) stands out with its impressive longevity, ensuring you won’t experience daily battery anxiety. For iPhone users or those considering switching to iOS, the Apple Watch Series 10 ($386 at Amazon) remains the obvious choice, though you should wait for the Apple Watch Series 11 that is launching soon. Follow