Google Pixel Watch Review: Rebooting the Android Smartwatch

[GOOGLE PIXEL WATCH REVIEW]

The years since Google’s smartwatch platform hit the market back in 2014 have been … chaotic. In the face of lackluster demand after several generations of smartwatches, Android Wear would be rebranded to “Wear OS” and undergo a painful parade of reinventions, often hamstrung by underpowered silicon and inconsistencies across its various hardware partners. Samsung got so fed up with Wear OS that it pivoted to its own Tizen software to power its Galaxy Watches for several years, only recently having been wooed back. Pebble, the OG smartwatch maker, got bought by Fitbit – which in turn got scooped up by Google. And in the midst of all this upheaval, Apple just kept counting money, selling millions of Apple Watches across eight generations of slow but steady iteration.

Flash forward to 2022 and the Pixel Watch is the smartwatch Google built to change all that. Like many first-generation products, it’s too expensive; it doesn’t do enough of what it promises; and it has no chance of living up to its hype. But it’s also proof positive that Google actually cares about smartwatches again. I’m Michael Fisher and I’ve spent a month with the Pixel Watch on my wrist: join me for the Google Pixel Watch Review!

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[ABOUT MRMOBILE’S GOOGLE PIXEL WATCH REVIEW]

MrMobile’s Google Pixel Watch Review was produced following 30 days with a Pixel Watch review sample provided by Google, and approximately four days with a Google Pixel Watch purchased by MrMobile’s publisher Future PLC. The devices were paired with a Pixel 7 Pro and Galaxy Z Flip 4, on Google Fi and T-Mobile respectively, and tested in Brooklyn NY and Iceland.

MrMobile does not accept compensation from the manufacturers of the products he reviews in exchange for producing content. No payment was provided and no manufacturer or carrier was afforded a preview, editorial input or copy approval rights concerning this review. The lone sponsor of this video is Surfshark.

[CREDITS]

Wristwatch, Redefined: Life on the Pebble Smartwatch [Pocketnow]:

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Review [Tom’s Guide]:

[MUSIC]

"On the One" by Ian Kelosky [Soundstripe]:

“Dope Fit” by Reveille [Soundstripe]:

“Kill The Noise” by DaMarcus VanBuren [Soundstripe]:

“Highways” by Falls [Soundstripe]:

[CHAPTERS]

00:00 Eight years in the making
01:53 A round Apple Watch
02:50 From store shelf to wrist
04:18 Wear OS works again
07:33 Big bezels, sucky speaker, bad battery
09:58 Buy the sequel

[SOCIALIZE]

[DISCLOSURES]

#pixelwatch #googlepixel #madebygoogle #googlepixelwatch #smartwatch #wearos #wearos3 #androidwear #wearable

[Jack-hyju]

once again watching a mr. mobile video whilst having zero intentions to get the reviewed product just because his videos are so damn good. Please never change, by faaar one of the best tech reviewers out there.

[dheerajhejamady]

You are the only youtuber for whom i don't turn on the live captions, your narration is so well structured and cohesive that it feels like I'm listening to a nature documentary!!!

[GFourGadget]

This is the best Pixel Watch review: covering from the birth of smartwatch, to all the great things about Pixel Watch, tiny details, and what could be improved. Hoping that the Pixel Watch 2 will come with bigger sizes, lesser bezels, and improved software 🤞🏼

[slamandjam]

It's honestly incredible how nothing has come close design wise to the VERY first android wear watch ever, The Moto 360. Had 0 bezel and looked stunning. That flat tire that was so maligned back then looks minuscule compared to the bezels we're getting today. What happened?

[neknim]

First "smartwatch" I had was the Timex Internet Messenger. Please look into that for your 'When Phones Were Fun' series. Not technically a phone, but I think it fits the series vibe. I signed up for yahoo text notifications, and would get sports, weather, and news sent to my watch. Not to mention the fact you could get text messages to the watch. It was a fun piece of tech that was ahead of it's time IMHO.

[amirrezarezaie]

The only unbiased reviewer. Never change. Thank you.

[jovonleblanc]

I have been pleasantly surprised with the battery life, performance, and utility of the first gen pixel watch. I've always carried two phones so I've been using my Apple watch for last 5 years and usually upgrade every 2 years. This kind of just plugged right in and I really felt at home and I use my pixel a lot more to leave my iPhone at home. Looking forward to that pixel tablet though. Enjoying the pixel ecosystem.

[collin.a.]

Michael has done it again with the best review I've seen of the Pixel Watch. I hope Google commits to this product line, but I wish I didn't have to. I think this shows real potential with a few iterations.

[majestikmoose]

I have been so impressed with the Pixel watch. Coming from a Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, I have to say: this is absolutely better. App notifications are more reliable, the watch itself feels more refined and incredibly comfortable. Swapping out the bands feels intuitive. Even the battery life, which I expected to be horrendous, is at least good enough to get me through a full day from sunup to sundown. I wish it was a little bigger... But aside from that, this is a really terrific first-generation product.

[Chemy.]

I feel it is necessary because that way Google will know what are the things they need to improve on wear os in order to get a better general experience even for the third party manufacturers.
Great video as always Captain

[vakama]

8:14 I had completely forgotten about the Moto 360's screen! I only remembered about the "flat tire" that was controversial. With the exception of that flat tire, that's exactly how Samsung, Google and others should be doing their round screens! I still don't get why people keep defending them. Great review as always.

[RirtyDascal]

My goodness... This man's writing skills just keep getting better and better. I'm always so thoroughly impressed by every review no matter the product.

[erqey]

I remember the first "smartwatch" I ever had was the Fossil Wristnet Watch. It connected to MSN to get news, weather and other info like that. It also had no data plan, you just got all the service stuff for free. It was pre-smartphones by a significant period of time.

[elliot_to]

Man, always love your reviews. As a longtime Nexus and now Pixel fan, it’s disappointing to see a smartwatch this underbaked. The design is absolutely gorgeous, but the price and flaws make it quite hard to buy or recommend.

[RobWatkins]

Thank you for your, as usual, spot on review of the Pixel Watch. Of all the reviews I've watched on the Pixel Watch, yours is the only one that mentioned the lefty versatility (that's me) and I'm reorienting it as soon as I'm finished writing this. I think Google will incorporate fixes through software updates as it goes along. I noticed that the puck charger included will sit up reliably on it's side but there's no night clock to go along with it. I hope they enable more universal wireless charging so if you have a wireless mat you can utilize it. Thanks again Michael!

[abhisarbharti]

The last statement : " This is a review and not a commerical" made me so happy that i am with this channel since its origin. thanks Michael.

[OneFaintingRobinOld]

Looking at it, I don't think the screen is ACTUALLY off-centre, but where the crown cuts a little into the body it sort of pushes the horizontal diameter a little bit, which definitely makes it LOOK a little off.

[alexandru-robertpeteleu]

Nobody narrates technology like you do. Always a pleasure to hear your "two cents" about anything.

[autobahn]

Michael you made a simple trip to the Google Store sound like sweet poetry! Those are the little things I really enjoy about your content bro!😎

[Quiet_]

Great review as always Mr Fisher! Agree with most of your complaints, it is too expensive and has some compromises. I was able to get more accurate calories after a reboot and disabling some of the automatic exercise detections in the Fitbit app, and my battery life (AOD on, Tilt2Wake off) has been solidly more than 24 hours even with a 1hr workout (but I don't have the LTE model).