While the look of Google’s upcoming Wear OS device has thoroughly leaked, many questions about the internal hardware powering it remain. Sources now tell 9to5Google that the Pixel Watch will have cellular connectivity and how long the battery might last.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the Pixel Watch has a battery that comes in at 300mAh. We’ve also learned that cellular connectivity will be offered, though we’re not certain on how the models, of which three have been spotted, will differ.
The closest analog is with Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 (GW4). That wearable, which is also 40mm, has a 247mAh battery that’s quoted as having a 40-hour “run time” with Wear OS 3. In our experience, the smaller Galaxy Watch 4 is closer to a 24-hour device, depending on usage. Google’s watch certainly beats that in physical capacity, but that shouldn’t be surprising since it’s a good 4mm thicker at approximately 14mm. The early Pixel Watch hardware is also heavier at 36g versus the 40mm GW4, which weighs in at 26g (also measured without straps).
Another battery comparison that can be made is to the Fossil Gen 6 and its 300mAh battery, which is rated for a day of usage on the less power efficient Snapdragon Wear 4100+. Skagen Falster Gen 6 has the same battery size as well, and we found that it generally has 24 hours or less of battery life.
Meanwhile, the larger, 44mm Galaxy Watch 4 weighs 30g, has a 361mAh battery, and generally lasts between 30 and 40 hours, depending on usage, in our experience. It remains to be seen what Google’s official guidance will be or if Wear OS is seeing any additional optimizations to maximize longevity. Another important spec that remains unknown is how fast the Pixel Watch can be charged, in terms of letting users quickly top-up in a pinch. If the watch uses a form of Qi charging, as Samsung and Apple do, it seems reasonable to expect comparable speeds.
We previously speculated that the Pixel Watch may be powered by Samsung Exynos. Google using the same W920 chip as the Galaxy Watch 4 would not be surprising. A measurement revealed that the display size on the Pixel Watch is roughly 30mm or just under 1.2-inches, which makes for another similarity with the Galaxy Watch 4.
Meanwhile, 9to5Google previously reported on the possible Pixel watch face designs, but we’ve yet to really see how Google will style Wear OS 3 beyond what’s available in the emulator. Beyond that, the biggest remaining question is how Google will price the Pixel Watch and when it will be available.
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Ben Schoon, Dylan Roussel, and Kyle Bradshaw contributed to this article
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