Google's Pixel Watch 2: A Smartwatch That Addresses Previous Issues

Google's second smartwatch has finally arrived, and it looks a lot like the original but with some exciting new features. The Pixel Watch 2 starts at $350 and launches on October 12th, offering improvements over its predecessor in terms of health sensors, safety features, and overall performance.

The Pixel Watch 2 feels like what the first version should have been on paper. It addresses some of the biggest issues that were present in the original, such as the presence of health sensors found inside the Fitbit Sense too, and the inability to automatically detect workouts. Fortunately, both of these features can be found in the Pixel Watch 2, although it will take time to determine if they live up to Google's promises.

At the heart of the Pixel Watch 2 is its new heart rate sensor, which has multiple contact points enabling it to get a better signal and result in more accurate readings. This is important because many Fitbit features, such as active Zone minutes, rely on heart rate data. The watch can also send an alert when you enter certain heart rate zones or running paces during your workout, which might be useful if you're training for a race.

Google is also bringing more familiar Fitbit features to the Pixel Watch 2, including stress and temperature tracking, similar to the Fitbit Sense 2. The watch can measure continuous electrodermal activity, combining it with other factors like heart rate and body temperature to look for potential signs of stress. When a response is detected, you'll be prompted to log your mood and maybe take a walk to de-stress. Thankfully, the Pixel Watch 2 now supports automatic workout detection for seven different exercise types, including running and outdoor cycling, unlike its predecessor.

In addition to these health-focused features, Google has also introduced more safety features to the Pixel Watch 2. One of these is Safety Check, which lets you schedule a timer for specific time zones, allowing you to check in with friends and family members to let them know you're okay after the timer expires. The watch will then ask if you're okay and whether you'd like to share your location or contact emergency services if you don't respond. This feature sounds similar to Apple's Check-in feature in iOS 17, which lets you notify a friend or family member when you've arrived at a location.

Google has made several other general improvements to the Pixel Watch 2. According to the company, the watch can last for 24 hours with the always-on display activated and should charge slightly faster too. However, the Pixel Watch 2 uses a different charging mechanism than its predecessor, so if you're upgrading from the first model, you won't be able to repurpose your charger. There's also a new quadcore processor for faster performance, and the crown on the side of the watch feels smoother when scrolling.

Overall, the Pixel Watch 2 checks a lot of boxes that were missing in its predecessor. It's better equipped to compete with Samsung and other smartwatch makers, but it also raises questions about the future of Fitbit's product line. With all these upgrades, we'll have to test out the Pixel Watch 2 to determine if it lives up to Google's promises.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enGoogle's pixel Watch 2 looks a lot like the original but there's plenty that's new about it Google's second smartwatch has a new heart rate sensor that should be more accurate sensors for measuring stress and temperature and some new safety features it starts at $350 and Launches on October 12th the pixel Watch 2 feels like what the first version should have been on paper IT addresses some of the biggest issues I had with the first pixel watch like the fact that it some of the health sensors found inside the Fitbit sense too and the fact that it couldn't automatically detect workouts luckily both of these features can be found in the pixel Watch 2 although I'll have to spend time with it before I know if it lives up to Google's Promises at the heart of the pixel Watch 2 is its new heart rate sensor it has multiple contact points enabling it to get a better signal but should result in more accurate readings and that's important because a lot of fitbits other features like active Zone minutes rely on heart rate the watch can also send an alert when you enter certain heart rate zones and running Paces during your workout which might be useful if you're training for a race Google is also bringing more familiar Fitbit features to the pixel Watch 2 including stress and temperature tracking like the Fitbit sense 2 the pixel Watch 2 can measure continuous electrodermal activity which it combines with other factors like heart rate and body temperature to look for potential signs of stress when a response is detected you'll be promp to log your mood and maybe take a walk to de-stress and thankfully the pixel Watch 2 now supports automatic workout detection for seven different exercise types including running and outdoor cycling unlike the first pixel watch which launched without workout detection Google is also bringing more safety features to the pixel watch like safety check which lets you schedule a timer for those time zone you might want to check in with friends and family members to let them know you're okay after the timer expired fires the watch will ask if you're okay and we check whether you'd like to share your location or contact emergency services if you don't respond the watch will share your location with your emergency contacts it sounds similar to Apple's check-in feature in iOS 17 which lets you notify a friend or family member when you've arrived at a location aside from health and safety Google made a few other General improvements to the pixel Watch 2 Google is now claiming that the watch can last for 24 hours with the always on display activated and it should charge slightly faster too but the pixel Watch 2 uses a different charging mechanism so if you're upgrading from the first model you won't be able to repurpose that charger there's also a new quadcore processor for faster performance and the crown on the side of the watch feels smoother when scrolling overall the pixel Watch 2 checks a lot of the boxes the first one didn't it's better equipped to compete with Samsung apple and other Smartwatch makers but now that the pixel watch is inheriting so many Fitbit features it also makes me wonder about the future of fitbit's product line while all of these upgrades sound nice on paper we'll have to test out the pixel Watch 2 to know whether it lives up so what do you think of the pixel Watch 2 let me know in the comments and don't forget to follow CET for more pixel coverage thanks for watching and I'll see you next timeGoogle's pixel Watch 2 looks a lot like the original but there's plenty that's new about it Google's second smartwatch has a new heart rate sensor that should be more accurate sensors for measuring stress and temperature and some new safety features it starts at $350 and Launches on October 12th the pixel Watch 2 feels like what the first version should have been on paper IT addresses some of the biggest issues I had with the first pixel watch like the fact that it some of the health sensors found inside the Fitbit sense too and the fact that it couldn't automatically detect workouts luckily both of these features can be found in the pixel Watch 2 although I'll have to spend time with it before I know if it lives up to Google's Promises at the heart of the pixel Watch 2 is its new heart rate sensor it has multiple contact points enabling it to get a better signal but should result in more accurate readings and that's important because a lot of fitbits other features like active Zone minutes rely on heart rate the watch can also send an alert when you enter certain heart rate zones and running Paces during your workout which might be useful if you're training for a race Google is also bringing more familiar Fitbit features to the pixel Watch 2 including stress and temperature tracking like the Fitbit sense 2 the pixel Watch 2 can measure continuous electrodermal activity which it combines with other factors like heart rate and body temperature to look for potential signs of stress when a response is detected you'll be promp to log your mood and maybe take a walk to de-stress and thankfully the pixel Watch 2 now supports automatic workout detection for seven different exercise types including running and outdoor cycling unlike the first pixel watch which launched without workout detection Google is also bringing more safety features to the pixel watch like safety check which lets you schedule a timer for those time zone you might want to check in with friends and family members to let them know you're okay after the timer expired fires the watch will ask if you're okay and we check whether you'd like to share your location or contact emergency services if you don't respond the watch will share your location with your emergency contacts it sounds similar to Apple's check-in feature in iOS 17 which lets you notify a friend or family member when you've arrived at a location aside from health and safety Google made a few other General improvements to the pixel Watch 2 Google is now claiming that the watch can last for 24 hours with the always on display activated and it should charge slightly faster too but the pixel Watch 2 uses a different charging mechanism so if you're upgrading from the first model you won't be able to repurpose that charger there's also a new quadcore processor for faster performance and the crown on the side of the watch feels smoother when scrolling overall the pixel Watch 2 checks a lot of the boxes the first one didn't it's better equipped to compete with Samsung apple and other Smartwatch makers but now that the pixel watch is inheriting so many Fitbit features it also makes me wonder about the future of fitbit's product line while all of these upgrades sound nice on paper we'll have to test out the pixel Watch 2 to know whether it lives up so what do you think of the pixel Watch 2 let me know in the comments and don't forget to follow CET for more pixel coverage thanks for watching and I'll see you next time\n"