Pixel Watch 2 to Switch to Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Platform, Offer Better Battery Life: Report

Other details such as improved health sensors and upgrades have also been leaked.

Written by Sheldon Pinto, Edited by Siddharth Suvarna | Updated: 31 May 2023 12:03 IST

Pixel Watch 2 to Switch to Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Platform, Offer Better Battery Life: Report

Google’s first Pixel Watch was not launched in India

Highlights

Pixel Watch 2 is claimed to last over a day with AOD enabled
The smartwatch is expected to be the first wearable to run Wear OS 4
The Pixel Watch 2 could get new sensors for all-day stress monitoring

Google surprised plenty of its fans in India when it announced its Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro smartphones last year. However, the Pixel Watch being a first-generation device, was left out. The smartwatch was Google's first attempt at designing its own smartwatch that was powered by a Samsung-made Exynos 9110 SoC. Being a first-generation device, it came with some shortcomings, the biggest of which was the single-day battery life. There has barely been any news about the upcoming Pixel Watch 2 except that Google was planning on announcing it alongside the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones this year. Now, there's finally a new leak that gives out more information about the upcoming model, which appears to have several upgrades over the outgoing Pixel Watch.

9to5Google, citing sources, claims to have received information about the upcoming Pixel Watch 2. Earlier this month, they were also the first to claim that Google is planning to announce its next smartwatch alongside the upcoming Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro handsets.

Google Pixel Watch 2 May Debut This Year Alongside Pixel 8 Series

According to the report, the upcoming Pixel Watch 2 is said to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 series chipset. This could either be the Snapdragon W5 or Snapdragon W5+ platform that was announced mid-way last year. So far, the TicWatch Pro 5 and Oppo's Watch 3 are the only devices to be powered by the new wearable-specific silicon from Qualcomm. The new platform should in theory have a noticeable leap in processing power and efficiency as they are built using the 4nm fabrication process versus the Exynos 9110 SoC, which uses a 10nm process.

And thanks to the new platform, 9to5Google's sources also claim that it dramatically impacts battery life, helping the Pixel Watch 2 last over a day with its always-on display (AOD) feature enabled. The current generation Pixel Watch as per Google is only rated for up to 24 hours of usage with the AOD feature disabled. The source also added that the Pixel Watch 4 could be the first smartwatch to run Wear OS 4.

Google's acquisition of Fitbit also reportedly plays a bigger role with the Pixel Watch 2. The source claims that the new smartwatch from Google will pack sensors similar to the Fitbit Sense 2. This in theory would enable features like all-day stress management and monitoring. Also said to be included is a skin temperature sensor, to measure nightly skin temperature variations.

Samsung Galaxy A34 5G was recently launched by the company in India alongside the more expensive Galaxy A54 5G smartphone. How does this phone fare against the Nothing Phone 1 and the iQoo Neo 7? We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Google Pixel Watch

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Compatible OS Android 8.0+

Dial Shape Round

Ideal For Unisex

More Google Smartwatches

Ticwatch Pro 5

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Strap Colour Black

Display Size 36mm

Strap Material Silicone

Dial Shape Round

Display Type AMOLED

More Ticwatch Smartwatches

Oppo Watch 3 Pro

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Strap Material Silicone

Dial Shape Square

Display Type AMOLED

More Oppo Smartwatches

Fitbit Sense 2

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Compatible OS Android, iOS

Dial Shape Square

Ideal For Unisex

More Fitbit Smartwatches

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Further reading: Google, Google Pixel Watch, Google Pixel Watch 2, Google Pixel Watch 2 Specifications, Google Pixel Watch 2 Launch

Sheldon Pinto

Email Sheldon Pinto

Sheldon Pinto is based in Mumbai, and has several years of experience in reviewing smartphones and gadgets. As a Senior Reviewer at Gadgets 360, you will always find him deeply immersed in his reviews, switching from one phone to another. When the battery dies out, Sheldon is always browsing the web for a good sci-fi movie or reading up on cars and bikes. He also loves creating lists of interesting places to eat and travel. Sheldon is available on Twitter at @shellshocd, and you can mail him at ...More