Google made a major leap with its smartwatch last year. The third generation of PixelWatch added a second dial size (45 mm), improved the use of space for the screen by reducing the bezels and increased the autonomy and brightness of the screen, although it did not introduce changes to the processor, which remained the same Qualcomm W5100 of the Pixel Watch 2.
The new generation, which goes on sale tomorrow, also makes significant improvements to the dial, screen, processor, sensors and software, which now features integration with Gemini and has direct access from the screen. Yes, now you can talk directly to the chatbot on the watch, another case of Google introducing AI everywhere, which in this case has the interest that it can help you evaluate the metrics collected by the device.
Screen and autonomy
The new domed screen – not only the glass that protects it, but the panel itself that lies beneath it – Act 360 win a 10% of space to the bezels compared to the previous generation and a 50% maximum brightness, reaching 3,000 nits and converting the Pixel Watch 4 an excellent option for outdoor use. This could have a cost in autonomy, but the numbers have improved slightly compared to the Watch 3, which offered up to 38 hours in the largest model. On the Watch 4 they are 40 and even 72 with battery saver activated. I have not done it and, in my experience, A single charge is enough for two daysif the device is not used intensively. I am referring to the model 45mm (455mAh)which is the one that Google has provided for this analysis.
In the of 41mm (325mAh)the battery stays on 30 hours with the screen function always active and in 48 with the saving activated. In any case, the fast chargingwhich now uses a new connector that attaches not to the base but to the side of the watch, allowing for a more stable position, needs 60 minutes to reach 100% and 15 to reach 50%so autonomy is not a problem.
New processors
He Qualcomm W5100 of the Pixel Watch 2 and 3 has given way to the most capable Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2which is accompanied by the same amount of RAM (2GB) and a new low-power coprocessor, the Cortex M-55. This coprocessor accelerates a 25% performance and halves the energy needed for continuous detection.
The Pixel Watch 4 as an extension of the mobile
A smartwatch mainly has two uses. One, like mobile extensionso you can access notifications or answer calls from it. The constant notifications, all of which are displayed in their default configuration, are still a nuisance. Each email that comes to you makes the watch vibrate and open the email on its screen, although if you later go to your mailbox you will see it waiting for you to do it for the first time, just like WhatsApp messages.
Taking into account the amount of trash that reaches any account that has been active for a few years, It’s more of a nuisance than anything else, but this is configurable, fortunately. Answering calls may be more practical, but it also depends on how jealous you are of your privacy, since the speaker makes anyone around you hear them.
Some of its features are designed to get the most out of it with a Google mobile. For example, if you have a Pixel, you can control phone camera remotely and with Recorder record sound from Pixel Watch.
As a tool to measure health parameters
Where these devices have a differential character is in relation to the healthand I include sports activity here. I am not a smartwatch user, so I was surprised by the amount of information the device collects in this regard. Google hasn’t added new sensors in this generation, but yes performance has improved. Connected to the app fitbitwhich Google acquired a few years ago to offer better metrics and of which the Pixel Watch comes with a 6-month subscription, the smartwatch measures respiratory rate, blood oxygen, heart rate, its variability and also skin temperature.
The device has the ability to detect signs of atrial fibrillationnotifying if there is an irregular heart rhythm, and can perform an electrocardiogram evaluation. They are not things that one usually thinks about, but if you are a bit hypochondriac or simply have a state of health in which you have to control these aspects, these devices are a dream come true. Additionally, the Pixel Watch 4 is the first smartwatch that Automatically calls emergency services if it detects a loss of pulsea function that can save the user’s life if seen in that circumstance.
Also records sleep hours and qualityalthough here I have found the information somewhat imprecise. Over the few days I’ve used it – and the device may need to track longer for better results – it was telling me about an hour less sleep than I’d actually been getting. In any case, Google assures that sleep tracking is a 18% more accurate than in the previous model.
Although it is ugly to say it, I don’t practice sportsso I can’t say too much about the related functions that are one of the attractions of smart watches. It should be noted that the Pixel Watch 4 incorporates a Dual frequency GPS to improve accuracy in outdoor workouts or when using Google Maps from the clock. In the four days that I have been able to test the watch before this article, it has not had time to motivate me to return to exercise, although with more time it could be an incentive. Now, for example, I don’t know how I can live without knowing if my heart rate is correct or my sleep is sufficiently restful.
In conclusion, and as a first-time smartwatch user, the Pixel Watch 4 makes an excellent impression, both in terms of its appearance premium as well as for its functionalities, especially those related to the health. Google’s new smart watch is available from €399 (41mm) and €449 (45mm).