After years of speculation, we finally know what Google’s first internal smartwatch will be called. It surprises absolutely no one, and a new trademark filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reveals that it is … Pixel Watch.
The archive (via 9 to 5 Google) is about as barebones as it gets. The description says that the Pixel Watch name is “intended to cover the categories of smartwatches; Cases adapted to hold smartwatches; laptops in the form of smartwatches; smartwatch straps; smartwatch straps.” Later in the archive, it is noted that although the Pixel Watch name is not in current use, there is an intention to use it. Not to mention, Google recently changed its store to more prominent watches. Clearly, Google has smartwatches on its mind.
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Granted, this name was quite expected, though a bit anticlimactic. Technical media has been referring to the concept of a Made by Google smartwatch as the Pixel Watch for years. It also makes sense when you consider that Big Tech has used smartwatches to promote their ecosystems. By naming it the Pixel Watch, Google is signaling its intention for the laptop to be a companion to its Pixel phones. And if that brings more people into Google’s network of gadgets and services … well, that’s been the plan all along.
We already have a pretty good idea of what to expect. The news that Google would finally make the Pixel Watch genuine broke out in December, and there have been several leaks of renderings and dials. It has also long been expected that Google will tease the Pixel Watch on Google I / O next month – which the timing of this trademark application greatly supports. It is also expected that the Pixel Watch will have some form of Fitbit integration with Wear OS 3. The smartwatch is also expected to cost more than a Fitbit and act as a direct Apple Watch competitor.
There are plenty of reasons why 2022 is the year when the stars are finally in line with the Pixel Watch. But despite false launches and rumors never breaking out, Google has been laying the groundwork for Android-first smartwatches for years. Not only was it first for the portable game in 2014 with Android Wear, which has since been renamed Wear OS. In 2019, it was revealed that a Pixel Watch debuted almost years ago. The only reason it did not do so was the early attempts “did not look like what belonged in the Pixel family.” And to be fair, it was the right call as the LG Watch Style and LG Watch Sport were awful.
It suggests that this new watch is something like Google is proud to put his name on. We’ll have to see what happens with Google I / O, but it looks like the long wait is finally over.