Google Pixel Watch 2 tipped to launch alongside Pixel 8

The Pixel Watch
(Image credit: Google via YouTube)

We were waiting years for Google to make its first smartwatch, but it looks like we won’t have to wait half as long for its successor. 

According to 9to5Google’s source, Google is planning on releasing the Pixel Watch 2 alongside the Pixel 8 smartphone. Given Pixel phones tend to launch in October, the release could be as little as five months away. 

The site says that the finished product may not be called the Pixel Watch 2 — that’s just the assumption based on the way Google numbers its Pixel phones. It could equally take a leaf out of Apple’s book and call it the Series 2, or make things hellishly confusing by just calling it Pixel Watch and leaving consumers to figure out which one they’re holding.

While this may seem like a swift turnaround, it’s worth remembering exactly how long the first-generation Pixel Watch had been in the works. Long-term readers may recall that rumors of a Pixel Watch were swirling five years ago, forcing Google to exclusively confirm to us that it wouldn’t be releasing a wearable in 2018.

That didn’t stop the rumors that Google was working on something behind the scenes and interesting patents continued to emerge suggesting something was in the works, before Jon Prosser leaked promo material at the start of 2022

When an actual prototype was found in a restaurant last April, everything looked confirmed, and the company duly revealed it was on the way at its Google I/O 2022 conference soon after. 

Pixel Watch 2: What we want to see

9to5Google’s report doesn’t contain any confirmed details of what changes we can expect, but we can make a few educated guesses. 

For one, it feels likely that the Pixel Watch 2 outer design isn’t going to change too much — not just as it’s a very good-looking wearable already, but because if a new design was imminent, it would likely have already leaked.

Instead, we expect changes on the inside. The Pixel Watch doesn’t exactly use state-of-the-art internals, so that’s an easy win. Indeed, the 10nm Samsung Exynos 9110 chipset that powers the Pixel Watch has been kicking around since the original Samsung Galaxy Watch debuted in 2018. An upgrade to the Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 — or even the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5’s Exynos W920 — would give a second-generation Pixel Watch a major shot in the arm.

That’s not just in raw performance but efficiency. Both chips are 5nm, which could spell good things for battery life — one of the Pixel Watch’s few weak points, as it struggles to last the day if you’re a heavy user.

There could also be new fitness sensors, but it would be nice if Google would enable all the ones on the original wearable too. Overnight skin temperature and SpO2 are still MIA over six months after its release. Elsewhere, the Pixel Watch 2 could borrow from its sister wearable — the Fitbit Sense 2 — to nab a continuous Electrodermal Sensor (cEDA) for stress tracking.

While a release of the Pixel Watch 2 isn’t expected until later in the year, it is possible that Google gives us an early preview at next week’s Google I/O 2023 conference. That kicks off on Wednesday 10 May, so watch this space.

Alan Martin

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games backlog. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.

Read more
Pixel 9 Pro Fold and the Pixel Watch 3
What to expect from Google in 2025 — Pixel 10, Android 16, Pixel Watch 4 and more
google pixel 9 review shots of phone
Google Pixel 10 — biggest rumors and what we want to see
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review.
Google Pixel 11 Pro leaks on the day Samsung set to unveil Galaxy S25 Ultra
CAD renderings of the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL
Pixel 10 leak could be good news for all Android phones
Google Pixel 5 review
Google Pixel 10 lineup leaked in new renderings — here's what they look like
Pebble Watch returns from the dead with its founder and open source software
Latest in Smartwatches
the Garmin Epix Pro 51mm on Tom's Guide writer Nick Harris-Fry's wrist
Amazon’s Big Spring Sale knocks up to 53% off Garmin watches — here are 9 deals I’d buy now
The Amazfit T-Rex 3 shown close-up on a user's wrist with the snorkeling and surfing workout tracking modes displayed; colorful flowers are out of focus in the background
I went surfing and snorkeling with the Amazfit T-Rex 3 — here's why I prefer it to the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for water sports
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Apple Watch Ultra 3 just tipped for two major upgrades
Apple Watch SE (2022) shown on wrist
Apple Watch SE 3 reportedly in ’serious jeopardy’ — here’s why
Apple Watch Series 10
Future Apple Watch models could get a surprising new feature — what we know
The coolest things the Apple Watch can do
A folding Apple Watch could follow the iPhone Flip — here’s what we know
Latest in News
Tom Hiddleston as Robert Laing in "High Rise" now streaming on Netflix
5 best Netflix movies in March you haven't watched yet
iPhone 16 with Apple Intelligence logo for iOS 18.1
iOS 18.4: All the newest Apple Intelligence features coming to your iPhone
Maria Debska in "Just One Look" now streaming on Netflix
3 best Netflix shows in March you haven't watched yet
Split image featuring the Galaxy S25 Edge (left) and Galaxy S25 Ultra (right)
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge just tipped for two Galaxy S25 Ultra-level features
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood
Amazon is giving away a ton of free games for its Big Spring Sale — here’s how to claim yours
A TV with the Netflix logo sits behind a hand holding a remote
Netflix is rolling out a big video quality upgrade — what you need to know