New Google Pixel Watch leak points to launch soon

Update: Not only has the Pixel Watch been revealed, it looks so good one Tom's Guide staffer might be tempted to switch to Android

It’s been a long time coming, but the Google Pixel Watch — Google’s long rumored first attempt at a smartwatch — appears to be inching closer to release. 

The latest evidence comes from the prolific and accurate leaker Evan Blass, who tweeted a picture of what appears to be the Pixel Watch’s online manual with the caption of “Won’t be long now.”

True, the Pixel Watch isn’t mentioned by name. Instead, we get “Rohan”, but given that’s the codename that’s appeared alongside the majority of Pixel Watch leaks to date, it feels likely that this is legitimate.

What’s curious about this is that the screenshot references Wear OS 3.1, which isn’t actually the latest version of the wearable operating system. We’re now up to Wear OS 3.2, which has been in developer preview for some time, and has now rolled out to Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 devices. Suffice it to say, it would be very strange indeed if the Pixel Watch launched without the latest version of Google’s own software.

Pixel Watch possible release date

Of course, Blass doesn’t actually provide anything concrete in terms of the Pixel Watch’s release date. Your definition of “long” could mean weeks or months, and both possibilities have been suggested in the past.

The earliest plausible release date could be as soon as next month. Google I/O 2022— the company’s annual developer conference —  is scheduled for May 11 and 12, and it has in the past been used as the platform to launch new hardware like the original Pixel 3a. With the Pixel 6a in the works as well as the Pixel Watch, we could be in for an exciting couple of days.

But a reveal isn’t the same as a release, and the leaker Jon Prosser believes that while we will see new hardware unveiled, it won’t actually be available to buy until a few months after the event. “From what I understand, Google will officially be announcing the Pixel 6a + ‘teasing’ the Pixel Watch,” Prosser tweeted a month ago, adding that the phone would arrive in July, with the wearable following in October alongside the Pixel 7.

It’s entirely possible that this is faulty information, or that it was right at the time and the facts have changed. Either way, we should find out soon enough.

As for what we can expect from the Pixel Watch, much is still up in the air. Leaks point to a round face and an Apple Watch-style crown on the right-hand side, with some Fitbit integration into Wear OS after Google's $2.1 billion Google acquisition of Fitbit purchase in 2019. 

Google’s coloring book — a freebie for Pixel superfans — also hinted at some playful Pixel Watch color options, which could potentially indicate the company intends to undercut the opposition with a competitively priced product.