Google Smartwatch Budget Options
Introduction
The annual wait for Google’s next wearable is finally over. The Pixel Watch 5 is here. Although it looks about as sleek as any Wear OS watch you can find right now, I’m genuinely disappointed by how minor its upgrades are over the Pixel Watch 4, and it exemplifies better than anything as to why Google’s strategy needs to change.
As a quick rundown, the Pixel Watch 5 does have a few upgrades in the form of improved GPS tracking, a faster chip, more robust sleep analysis and Gemini Intelligence on your wrist, which can help with offering contextual assistance throughout the day, but that’s really it.
Comparison to Other Smartwatches
Unlike with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 or the Apple Watch Series 11, there have been no upgrades to the battery, and it doesn’t feel like there’s one standout feature that I can point to and say that that is the reason why you’d want to go out and buy the Pixel Watch 5.
To make matters worse, this watch now costs more than its predecessor, so you really have to weigh up the purchase this time around, especially when the near-identical Pixel Watch 4 will remain on sale at a new lower price and seemingly get a lot of the Pixel Watch 5’s software features.
Alternative Options
Adding to the conundrum is that Google already released a far more tempting and wallet-friendly alternative this year in the form of the Fitbit Air.
At a whole £270/$300 less than the Pixel Watch 5, not to mention the fact that it uses the same Google Health app for collating all of the fitness data it tracks, it’s hard not to see how the Fitbit Air is the better buy for most people.
I’ve now used quite a few screenless fitness trackers, including the Whoop Strap and the more recent Garmin Cirqa, and the Fitbit Air is easily one of the best you can buy, helped along by the fact that it’s very lightweight, completely free of distractions and, if you want more insight, the optional Google Health Coach subscription practically provides 24/7 access to an AI-driven personal trainer.
Need for a Budget Smartwatch
It’s time to go A-series, with a more affordable smartwatch like a hypothetical Pixel Watch 4a, to launch alongside the Pixel Watch 5.
I completely understand that prices across the tech industry are going up as a result of the ongoing RAM crisis fuelled by AI development, but what brands need to recognise is that wages aren’t going up in kind and there is a limit to what people can reasonably afford.
Something like the Apple Watch SE 3 is a perfect example of an affordable smartwatch that doesn’t have to have all the most modern features but can still deliver the core watchOS experience that Apple fans want, and it’s high time that Google delivered something similar.
A watch that comes in at sub-£200/$200 and maybe drops a few of the more advanced sensors, such as for temperature and blood oxygen tracking, would be perfect.
