Until October this year, my expectations for the long-rumored Google Pixel smartwatch were low. Not just regarding itsactual arrival, but also its desirability as a product at all. It was all because of Google’s spotty track record with mobile design. While it can get away with adding a bright color in an attempt to rescue its woefully dull-looking phones, that won’t cut it on a wearable.
Nowrumors of the Pixel Watch’s launchhave reignited again, but this time around, I’m feeling a lot more positive about it, and it’s all because of thePixel 6andPixel 6 Pro.
Design matters
I probably sound like a broken record on this, butdesign matters on a smartwatchmore than on almost any other mobile device. If a smartwatch is boring to look at, or derivative of what’s already available, there’s little incentive to look at it much closer. But good design goes beyond just style. It makes a huge difference to comfort on the wrist, as without good design, it may not fit very well. And if it’s uncomfortable to wear, then we may not do so. Remember, you need to wear a smartwatch to get all the benefits from its health and activity tracking and notification features.
The thought of a smartwatch from the company that bought us thePixel 4a, one of the blandest smartphones I’ve ever seen, was not one that filled me with excitement. I imagined a metal case with that same, awful crackle finish coating from the back of the Pixel, a round screen with 2.5D glass, a couple of buttons, and a choice of straps in either Aren’t We Amusing Orange or Insipid Black. Oh, and back then, it would have Wear OS installed. Save me.
I’m not singling Google out here. Getting smartwatch design right isn’t just a problem for the tech industry in general, and even established watchmakers sometimes struggle. The firstTag Heuer Carrera Connectedwas too big and too angular, the strap on the Fossil-designedDiesel On Fadelitesmartwatch would have been more flexible if it had been made out of stone, and the recentCitizen CZ Smartwas practically indistinguishable from the cheaper and equally ordinary Fossil Garrett HR.
The thing is, these examples were anomalies for the respective manufacturers. There hasnever been a Pixel phone that looked good, and that filled me with dread that should a Pixel Watch come out, it would be an anonymous, crushing disappointment. But then the Pixel 6 series came out.
Pixel 6 saves the day
The Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro aren’t just the best -ooking Pixel phones — they are two of the best-looking smartphones you can buy today. It’s hard to believe the same company that signed off on these two also gave the green light to the Pixel 4a and Pixel 5’s “design.” The Pixel 6 Pro, in particular, gets design right. It may have a curved screen, but it doesn’t have sharp edges, the camera module is large while not really making the phone top-heavy, the glossy glass back panel looks unique and modern, and the color schemes are bright and fun. If Google offered the 6 Pro in Sorta Seafoam, I’d even forgive the stupid names.
The Pixel 6 suddenly complements Google’s smart home product designs, which have always been great. The cute, tactileNest Miniis a great example, as it fits in with most home decor, doesn’t scream “tech product,” and the fabric makes you want to reach out and stroke it. I love the simplicity of theNest Cam,and the comfort of the Stadia controller. The Pixel 6 Pro proudly sits alongside them, while old Pixel phones should hide their shame behind a toweringNest Audio.
Google’s mobile design renaissance gives me hope that the Pixel Watch will look and feel glorious, too, but although I’m feeling positive about it, we’re not out of the woods yet. Thedreary product render seen earlier this yearis the definition of a smartwatch I will never want to buy. It’s so devoid of inspiration, so utterly generic that it could have been listed for $150 on Amazon as the Lionheart Smart Watch Healthflow Plus, and I would have believed it. And then completely forgotten about it.
New look, new software
Next year is hopefully going to be a big one for Google’s Wear OS 3 software platform, which itannounced during Google I/Oin May, but hasn’t made available on any smartwatches other than theSamsung Galaxy Watch 4yet. Instead, it’ll add it as an update to some current modelsduring the second half of 2022. Assuming Samsung has exclusive access to Wear until then — it worked with Google on the software — a Pixel Watch may herald the end of that period.
Android 12with Google’s Material You design makes the Pixel 6’s software equally as pretty as the phone itself. Manufacturers can each customize the Wear platform’s look. Samsung uses its ownOne UI Watch interface, for example, which means Google may adapt Material You for use on the wrist. Material You’s menu design, with its clear text and wide spacing, should work really well, but it’s the way the system colors can be matched to your wallpaper that instantly lends itself to use on a watch. Software that looks coherent can still be personalized is key to making a smartwatch feel like it’s part of us, which is just as important as exterior design and comfort.
Until very recently, I didn’t think Google had the ability to design a desirable smartphone, and was content to purely rely on its camera technology to sell Pixels. The Pixel 6 has changed my opinion, and Material You has shown that it’sone step ahead of the competitionin software design at the moment, too. Because of all this, I’m really keen for the first time to see what it can do with a Pixel smartwatch.
