Later this fall, Google is predicted to launch the Pixel Watch. Given Put on OS’s historical past, there’s understandably numerous anticipation. Will the watch be good? Will it fail to ship the promise of Put on OS 3? Truthfully, these questions is perhaps extra applicable for future iterations of the watch. For now, all Google has to do is create a smartwatch that does the fundamentals nicely.
Living proof, XDA Builders just lately reported that Google appears to be arduous at work addressing an egregious oversight in Put on OS: backups. In an APK teardown of Google Play providers v 22.23.12 beta, XDA says that there’s code that refers to “companion backups” by way of Google One. Proper now, if you happen to improve to a brand new telephone, you may’t again up your non-Samsung Put on OS smartwatch information. Sure, though it’s 2022 and practically each client gadget helps you to create cloud backups, you continue to must manufacturing unit reset your Put on OS smartwatch. (Technically, there’s a workaround to this inconvenience — however you shouldn’t want a workaround for one thing as fundamental as a cloud backup. )
This simply underscores how low the bar is for the Pixel Watch. Opponents like Samsung and Apple have already got cloud backup for his or her watches as a result of, once more, it’s 2022. As long as the Pixel Watch can make it 24 hours on a single cost, has a handy guide a rough chip, and may go down the checklist of anticipated smartwatch options (e.g., contactless funds, music streaming, fundamental health monitoring, backups, and so on.), it’ll succeed at Not Sucking, which is all Google wants to ascertain that its wearables can play ball. The rest on high of that’s gravy.
And there’s purpose to imagine that Google can achieve making a smartwatch that may rise above the bar of “not sucking.” Since asserting Put on OS 3 with Samsung at I/O 2021, Google has made demonstrable strides in making Put on OS a viable platform. Not only have extra standard third-party builders created optimized Put on OS 3 apps but additionally Google’s made an effort to carry app enhancements to Put on OS 2 as nicely. That features software program like Google Pay and Messages, streaming by way of YouTube Music, and different fundamental touches you’d anticipate to see on trendy smartwatches. That momentum only appears to be selecting up as we get nearer to the Pixel Watch’s debut. As an example, 9to5Google discovered indicators that the Pixel Watch may help Google Fi, which might counsel the watch would possibly help LTE information with no need a telephone quantity. (Or Google might go the identical route as different carriers and cost a small price for an additional line.)
Google Fi help would transcend the “simply don’t suck” naked minimal. But additionally, in accordance with its I/O 2022 presentation, we are able to anticipate a streamlined Put on OS 3 UI, a brand new Fitbit integration, and emergency calling. We must always anticipate apps like Google Assistant, YouTube Music, Google Pockets, Google Dwelling, and Google Maps — which is a stable lineup so far as native apps go. No less than on paper, that is what I’d anticipate to see in a contemporary smartwatch.
I’m not able to say the Pixel Watch can be good and even “adequate.” That’s not one thing I can determine till I’ve put it by means of its paces. There are issues that you just can’t know from a spec sheet, like how nicely it integrates with non-Pixel telephones, how snappy the efficiency is, and what real-life battery is like. I’m merely saying that the bar for a very good Put on OS watch is stupendously low, and thus far, Samsung’s been the only recreation on the town. I’d be genuinely shocked if the Pixel Watch might give the Galaxy Watch 5 a run for its cash. But when it may efficiently present Android customers a viable various to a Samsung watch? That’s one thing we haven’t seen but.