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Google is expected to launch the Pixel Watch 2 alongside the Pixel 8 series this fall. Leaks have already revealed a few key details about the second-gen Google smartwatch. The latest word from the rumor mill is that the new wearable will feature an aluminum body.
Sources have confirmed to 9to5Google that Google will switch to an aluminum case for the Pixel Watch 2. The first-gen model has a stainless steel body. Since the latter material is heavier than the former, this change should make the upcoming watch lighter. The current model weighs 36 grams without a band.
A few grams lighter than that, the new Pixel Watch would be a lot more comfortable to wear for a prolonged period, particularly overnight for sleep tracking and during intense workout sessions. Fitbit, which is now part of Google, already has experience in making lightweight wrist wearables using aluminum. The Fitbit Sense 2 weighs only 26 grams without a band.
However, it’s unclear whether Google is making this switch just for the sake of reducing the weight or if it’s also a cost management decision. Since aluminum is cheaper than stainless steel, the overall manufacturing cost should come down a little. Case in point, aluminum Apple Watches are usually cheaper than stainless steel variants.
Unlike Apple, Google won’t offer the Pixel Watch 2 in two different case materials, though. There’s no point doing that considering the Pixel Watch’s design. The domed glass panel at the top almost covers the stainless steel body. Once you put the watch on your wrist, the body is hardly visible to others. As such, Google has no reason to offer the same watch with varying materials.
The Fitbit Coach may arrive alongside the Pixel Watch 2
Google’s fall hardware event may not only include new Pixel devices, but some Fitbit products as well. We have been long-tracking rumors about a minor design overhaul of the Fitbit app. The redesigned app is expected to debut alongside the upcoming Pixels, with Fitbit Coach being one of its major aspects.
According to the new report, Fitbit Coach will be a premium service where users will get personalized workout plans. “They will be similar to what Fitbit Premium offers today and not anything more advanced,” the report states. We should get to learn more about it as well as the Pixel Watch 2 in the coming months. The next Google Pixel hardware event should take place in October 2023.