It’s hard to tell the Pixel Watch 2 from the first-gen Pixel Watch, but there’s a new one!
The watch comes in the same set of colorways, including a black aluminum case and a champagne gold. The diameter of the watch—41mm—and the relative look and feel remain the same from last year’s model. Even the clasping mechanism remains the same, though there are a variety of new bands to choose from.
The Pixel Watch 2 features the same size display with always-on capabilities. Google still claims 24 hours of battery life with the Pixel Watch 2, as facilitated by its 306mAh battery, an increase from last year’s 294 mAh battery pack. There’s a side button, quick-release buttons for the proprietary straps, a haptic crown, and IP68 water- and dust-resistance.
There are also new sensors in the Pixel Watch 2. They include the company’s new multi-path optical heart rate sensor, which Google says was uniquely designed for “improved signal quality.” I didn’t think anything was wrong with the last heart rate monitor. But this will likely be a significant marketing point for Google as even its new Fitbit Charge 6 boasts an improved heart rate sensor.
The Pixel Watch 2 lauds a few new safety-minded abilities. Fall detection is available on the device, and Safety Check lets you check in with friends and family as you’re on the go. Google also offers Safety Signal, a beacon-like feature exclusive to Fitbit Premium members, even for those Pixel Watches without an LTE plan.
Starting October 4, you can pre-order Pixel Watch 2 for $349 for Bluetooth/wifi, and $399 for 4G LTE. It will be available in 30 countries on October 12.
Pixel Buds Pro feature drop
To top off Google’s fall hardware harvest, the company also announced one of its patented “feature drops.” But this time, it’s for the Pixel Buds Pro. If you’ve got a pair of those lying around, Google will push a software upgrade that enables Clear Calling and Conversation Detection, which dims the volume so you can tune in when someone is talking to you. The Pixel Buds Pro also now supports Bluetooth Super Wideband, which helps increase the bandwidth for how voices sound on the buds.
Gamers will appreciate the newly reduced latency on the buds.
