What you need to know
- A source who sent the images to Android Central said the Pixel Watch may have been spotted at a restaurant in the US.
- It could be that the images of the watch appear to match many of the leaked rumors, including the minimalist design, crown, and potentially hidden buttons.
- It looks like the watch has a proprietary Google Band.
- We don’t know what charging will look like, as the watch doesn’t come with a charger.
The Google Pixel Watch was apparently spotted in a restaurant in the US, and images sent to Android Central by sources look like what could be Google’s first smartwatch.
Android Central has reviewed images of the watch that may be revealed during Google I/O next month. The watch itself will likely launch alongside the Pixel 7.
Sources say the watch may be a “test model for the Internal Pixel team” and was found in a restaurant. The sources asked Android Central not to release their names or restaurant names, including locations, to protect their jobs.
The leak is reminiscent of Gizmodo’s report that a prototype iPhone 4 was lost and found in a bar. The phone was disguised as an iPhone 3GS.
If the pictures are real, this is also the first time we’ve seen the watch rumored to be called “Rohan.” Code hidden in a Google update discovered by 9to5Google suggests that the Pixel Watch will use the Exynos chipset instead of the Snapdragon model found in most Wear OS 3-compliant watches.
The watch in our image looks almost identical to the rumored render image leak. It sports a minimalist design and follows what the leaks suggest for a screen with barely any bezels. The image also confirms one rumored color the watch will come in: black.
(Image source: provided by readers)
(Image source: provided by readers)
(Image source: provided by readers)
Previous rumors suggested the watch would have a rotating crown and two hidden buttons.
(Image source: provided by readers)
It’s a little hard to tell from the picture above, but if this is a rumored watch, there must be at least one button next to the crown.
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(Image source: provided by readers)
From the picture above, the watch band appears to be a Google-proprietary band that looks very similar to the jelly-shaped Apple Watch Sport Band. That could mean we might see more colors. It also looks like it’s attached directly to the case.
This can make changing straps difficult, especially when most other top Android smartwatches give you more leeway to use standard strap types.
The watch does not leave a charger, but the watch can be charged from the back of the case. That’s also how Fitbit’s Versa 3 and Sense smartwatches (which Fitbit is owned by Google) and Apple Watch charge for.
The bottom “looks like metal, but feels like it’s coated in glass,” the source said.
(Image source: provided by readers)
(Image source: provided by readers)
In this particular image shown above, we can see what looks like a fork in one of the slots. This is probably just an engineering sample for testing and will not appear in production builds.
We can’t be sure, but the watch may also have the Qi standard, allowing for wireless charging.
Since the watch doesn’t come with a charger, we can’t tell what’s going on inside.
(Image source: provided by readers)
The source states that when they try to boot it, nothing happens after booting the logo, which you can see according to the image above. This may mean that the operating system is not yet installed on the watch.
We do know that Google will be using the new Wear OS 3 co-developed with Samsung, but we can also expect Google to add its own Pixel flavor to the software.
As a final note, we don’t know where Google plans to release the watch, but it could include North America, Canada, and the EU
(Image source: provided by readers)
According to the image, a small note on the bottom of the box states: “This device is not authorized by the Federal Communications Commission and Industry Canada regulations and has not been tested for compliance with EU regulations.”
It also states that the model is only for “internal testing and development” and that “marking and packaging are not final.”
Android Central has obscured parts of this box for privacy reasons.