Google Pixel Watch is not released. But there’s a lot going on in the background about what to expect. Image: Google
While it’s not slated to work with iPhone or iOS devices, this next bit of Google Pixel Watch news is interesting if you’re expecting the same build quality as the Apple Watch.
According to an FCC filing, Google has partnered with Compal Electronics of Taiwan to manufacture parts for the Pixel Watchspecifically the charging mechanism. Comple Electronics is an experienced manufacturer of Apple Watch.
The Pixel Watch may have the same magnetic-puck-to-USB-C charging cable as its main rival, though the exact similarity between the two devices is unclear. The Apple Watch currently charges via a magnetic charger to a USB-C cable, which is included in the box with each new device.
Other smartwatches charge slightly differently. For example, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, recently the only eligible Wear OS-based smartwatch on the market, has a charging puck connected over USB-A (for plugging it into more places and adapters).
It’ll also be interesting to see if you can charge the Pixel Watch via the Pixel’s Battery Share capabilities, which lets you hook up a wireless-charging device to your smartphone to shed some of its energy. I personally don’t use this capability, as I found that Pixel smartphones often require more battery than my wearable.
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We have months until we learn more about the Pixel Watch beyond what’s to come via FCC filings and the like. 9to5Google notes that the rest of the FCC listing, which appeared on May 11, contains information that matches an earlier Bluetooth certification filed back in April. As expected with most major wearable launches, there appear to be two models: a WiFi only version and one with additional support for LTE.
Regardless, this is all good news for Google, at least in adding hype for an Unreal device. Despite the years of disappointment before the launch of this alleged unicorn, the company is re-establishing itself in the wearables space. The Pixel Watch may not immediately change how many people adopt Android for their wrists. But if Google takes the right steps and secures the right partners, it can at least prove it’s putting its best foot forward.
