Google Pixel Watch vs Apple Watch Series 7: Android finally has its own Apple Watch? - XDA Developers

If the Google Pixel phones are meant to beryllium (or astatine slightest trying to be) Android's reply to the iPhone, past the Google Pixel Watch is intelligibly Google's effort astatine making an Apple Watch equivalent -- thing that pairs and works seamlessly with Google/Android products.

But does Google get there? In today's nonfiction we're going to comparison Google's wearable against the Apple Watch Series 7 and 8. The crushed we're including some 7 and 8 is simple: the Series 8 is the astir existent Apple Watch, but I personally haven't tested it. But I person been utilizing the Apple Watch Series 7 for a year, and it's very, precise akin to the Series 8 to the constituent that idiosyncratic acquisition volition beryllium astir identical. I volition notation erstwhile a diagnostic is circumstantial to the Apple Watch Series 8 only.

If the Google Pixel phones are meant to beryllium (or astatine slightest trying to be) Android's reply to the iPhone, past the Google Pixel Watch is intelligibly Google's effort astatine making an Apple Watch equivalent -- thing that pairs and works seamlessly with Google/Android products.

But does Google get there? In this article, we're going to comparison Google's wearable against the Apple Watch Series 7 and 8. The crushed we're including some Series 7 and 8 is simple: the Series 8 is the astir existent Apple Watch, but I personally haven't tested it. But I person been utilizing the Apple Watch Series 7 for a year, and it's very, precise akin to the Series 8 to the constituent that the idiosyncratic acquisition is astir identical. I volition notation erstwhile a diagnostic is circumstantial to the Apple Watch Series 8 only.

Google Pixel Watch vs Apple Watch Series 7/8: Pricing and Availability

The Google Pixel Watch lone comes successful 1 size and is priced astatine $399 for the WiFi exemplary and $399 for the 4G/LTE model. It's disposable astatine large online retailers specified arsenic Best Buy, Amazon, arsenic good arsenic Google's ain online store.

The Apple Watch Series 8 comes successful 41mm oregon 44mm casing and starts astatine $399 and $429 respectively. The Apple Watch is wide disposable astatine large online retailers and besides immoderate brick-and-mortar store that sells Apple products. The Apple Watch Series 7 is nary longer officially connected merchantability via Apple, but it tin beryllium recovered via trusted retailers similar Amazon.

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Google Pixel Watch vs Apple Watch Series 7/8: Hardware and Design

Despite the fundamentally antithetic shapes -- the Google Pixel Watch is simply a cleanable circle; the Apple Watch 8 is square-ish -- determination are really rather a batch of similarities successful hardware betwixt the 2 watches. Both are bereft of bezels oregon raised ridges -- the screens conscionable curve and blend seamlessly into the metallic casing. And some besides diagnostic a carnal crown that tin beryllium twisted oregon pressed. When placed broadside by side, the Google Pixel Watch looks similar it could beryllium successful the aforesaid household arsenic the Apple Watch bid successful ways Samsung's wearables ne'er did.

The 44mm exemplary of the Apple Watch is evidently bigger than the 41mm Pixel Watch, but adjacent the 41mm Apple Watch Series 7/8 offers a larger surface existent property owed to its square-ish boxy screen. The Pixel Watch is simply a spot thicker, however, astatine 10.7mm compared to the Apple wearable's 10.5mm.

Both watches look large successful my opinion, but besides perchance fragile. The information that neither the Apple Watch nor the Pixel Watch screens person immoderate extortion similar raised bezels oregon ridges means the screens, particularly the sides, are ever exposed. Of course, Apple and Google's selling squad assertion these glasses are reinforced and beardown capable (Apple advertises "Sapphire crystal glass", Google uses "Gorilla Glass 5") to past drops oregon accidentally scraping the sides of a table, but I consciousness uneasy nonetheless. Getting a good lawsuit for the Apple Watch Series 8 oregon Pixel Watch should beryllium higher connected the precedence database for immoderate buyer.

The 2 wearables each usage proprietary bands, and the rubbery silicon ones that travel with the watches are not my cupful of tea. I purchased a leather strap for the Apple Watch 7 and volition apt bash truthful for the Pixel Watch. These devices are excessively premium to beryllium tethered to inexpensive rubber straps. Both watches besides usage akin quick-release mechanisms to region the straps, but portion the Apple Watch's merchandise fastener is casual to access, the Pixel Watch's circular signifier means the fastener is overmuch harder to access. Expect to fiddle for astatine slightest a infinitesimal the archetypal mates of times you're swapping retired the Pixel straps.

Displays

OLED show is the exertion of prime utilized by some wearables and for bully crushed -- they pump retired vibrant colors including heavy blacks which assistance conserve battery. The second is important since some ticker screens tin beryllium "Always-On." Both screens besides scope 1,000 nits of highest brightness, which is bully capable to usage outdoors nether nonstop sunlight.

Silicon

The Apple Watch takes a triumph successful the silicon section -- the Apple Watch 8 is powered by the S8 chip, portion the Series 7 runs connected the S7, and some chips are noticeably faster than the four-year-old Exynos 9110. The velocity quality is noticeable everywhere, from launching apps to however agelong it takes for the ticker to perceive to and process my dependable queries.

This isn't to accidental the Pixel Watch is terribly underpowered, it performs fine. It conscionable can't beryllium called fast. Expect to hold for a bushed oregon 2 anytime you pat anyplace connected the watch.

If you're wondering wherever does the Apple Watch 8's S8 spot improves implicit the S7, it's supposedly successful the CPU -- Apple says the caller 1 is 20% faster than the aged one, but I don't truly spot immoderate difference. The Apple Watch 7 zips astir its UI arsenic smoothly and speedily arsenic the Apple Watch 8.

Battery

Neither Apple nor Google reveals nonstop artillery sizes successful its property material, but teardowns person recovered the Apple Watch 7 and 8 to battalion a 308 mAh artillery to the Pixel Watch's 294 mAh, and artillery beingness is precise similar. Both of these watches request to beryllium charged astatine slightest erstwhile a day, arsenic neither would marque it acold into time two. The Pixel Watch is simply a spot little of an all-day smartwatch than the Apple Watch 7 and 8 are, and you should expect to request a complaint sooner connected Google's offering.

Sensors

Charging is done via proprietary magnetic chargers connected the watches' backmost side, which besides location the accustomed big of sensors. Both watches person the halfway cardinal sensors for detecting bosom rate, conducting EKG (electrocardiograms) and blood-oxygen levels, arsenic good arsenic the basics similar an accelerometer and gyroscope for detecting movements.

The Apple Watch 8 one-ups the Pixel Watch, and the Apple Watch 7 by besides including a caller tegument somesthesia sensor and a high-G accelerometer sensor. The erstwhile is mostly determination to assistance the Apple Watch 8 way menstrual cycles, portion the second is to assistance observe car accidents. These are features missing successful the Pixel Watch and Apple Watch 7.

Other hardware bits

The Pixel Watch is rated 5ATM, meaning it tin withstand being submerged underwater up to 50 meters. The Apple Watch 7 and 8 are rated WR50, which besides means they tin withstand underwater unit up to 50 meters. In different words, adjacent though they usage antithetic standards, the watches are astir adjacent successful presumption of being waterproof. I'd accidental everyone but divers would person to interest astir these watches suffering from h2o damage.

Elsewhere, some watches besides person a azygous talker and microphone each, and they bash a coagulated occupation of receiving and taking telephone calls. If I person to nitpick, I'd accidental the Apple Watch's speakers are louder and fuller.

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Google Pixel Watch vs Apple Watch Series 7/8: Software and Features

The Apple Watch 8 ships with WearOS 9, and the Apple Watch 7 volition person an update to this latest Apple bundle mentation too. The Pixel Watch, meanwhile, runs connected Wear OS 3.5. And due to the fact that Google acquired Fitbit successful 2019, the Pixel Watch besides features Fitbit integration which is some bully oregon atrocious depending connected your views. The good? Fitbit has possibly the champion sleep-tracking algorithm successful the manufacture and has a robust bundle that handles workout tracking good too. But the atrocious is that you indispensable instal and log into the Fitbit app to get these services. In fact, you person to instal 2 apps connected your Android telephone (even the Pixel 7 Pro) to usage the Pixel Watch fully: Google's caller Watch app, and Fitbit. A clump of Fitbit features, similar accent absorption and elaborate slumber analysis, are besides paywalled down a subscription -- you get a six-month subscription erstwhile you bargain the Pixel Watch.

The Apple Watch acquisition by examination feels overmuch much seamless. The iOS Watch app is already connected each iPhones -- there's thing caller to install. This cohesiveness betwixt products, hardware and software, makes the Pixel Watch look bad. Even aft installing Fitbit, I person to manually cheque disconnected a clump of pop-up boxes wrong the Google Watch app and connected the Pixel Watch itself successful bid to afloat usage the watch.

If Google wants the Pixel Watch to beryllium the "Apple Watch of the Android world," it needs to bash a amended occupation of gathering seamless connectivity.

Fitness tracking

The Apple Watch is simply a amended performer present too. While some watches tin mostly way the aforesaid exercises, the Apple Watch tin automatically place erstwhile I'm cycling oregon walking faster than usual, and statesman tracking those activities workouts. The Google Pixel Watch requires manual prompting. Otherwise, the tracking seems close successful presumption of bosom complaint and measurement counts.

I tin spot my fittingness stats from the aforesaid time straight connected the watch, but if I privation to cheque past history, I request to leap into the apps. This is wherever different annoyance kicks successful connected Google's end: the Fitbit app sometimes needs to beryllium manually synced adjacent erstwhile the Pixel Watch had been connected to the instrumentality for days prior. Sometimes the syncing process takes respective minutes. Having utilized Fitbit wearables rather a spot before, I tin accidental this less-than-ideal idiosyncratic acquisition is not uncommon with Fitbit software. There are nary specified issues connected the Apple Watch, everything feels seamless: I leap into the iOS Watch app, and each my wellness and workout past is determination for maine to look through.

As a wide smartwatch

One of the cardinal requirements I request from a smartwatch is the quality to person notifications, and fto maine respond to them straight connected the wrist. This is thing the Apple Watch has got close since time one: I tin work full substance messages connected my wrist, and past respond via scribbling substance oregon utilizing dependable dictation.

This whitethorn beryllium a astonishment to some, but astir Android smartwatches cannot bash this well, owed to either deficiency of bundle optimization, oregon an underpowered chipset. I'm blessed to study the Google Pixel Watch tin really grip this task well. Not rather arsenic good arsenic the Apple Watch, but the Pixel Watch tin so get and show incoming texts without issues, and its assorted methods of substance and dependable input each enactment good enough.

Google Pixel Watch vs Apple Watch Series 7/8: Which 1 is better?

Ultimately, the constituent of this nonfiction is purely for curiosity’s involvement alternatively than service arsenic a existent buyer's guide, due to the fact that these wearables are yet locked to their respective mobile operating systems. The Google Pixel Watch is simply a good-looking, premium smartwatch that gets a batch right, but it is intelligibly not arsenic polished arsenic the Apple Watch Series 7 oregon 8 (or adjacent the Series 6 for that matter).

Software shortcomings similar needing to enactment with a abstracted Fitbit app to way fittingness -- and that app can't adjacent sync automatically fractional the clip -- positive the noticeably slower chipset are factors that clasp the Pixel Watch back. Other than slumber tracking, there's thing the Pixel Watch does amended than the Apple Watch 7 oregon 8.

Android fans, bash not beryllium dismayed, however. The Pixel Watch is inactive a bully wearable successful a vacuum, and a bully archetypal measurement successful improving the authorities of Android smartwatches. If immoderate institution has the heavy pockets and power to vie with Apple and marque a large smartwatch for each of Android to use, it would beryllium Google.