Google's New Pixel Watch vs. Apple Watch Series 8

[CarAnalogy]

The fact that Google intends to charge $10 for the fitness features is laughable to me. I know Apple promotes fitness+ but all features of the watch still function without it. In fact they are going the other way, making it available without the watch.

But I think we all know what will happen here. Sales won’t be off the charts right away because nobody trusts Google. Because the sales aren’t immediately off the charts, Google will lose interest and discontinue it.
A few years later a new project manager will come along and say ”why don’t we have a watch?”, get promoted for launching one, move on to another project and the cycle repeats.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Yes, we have two cars. One has Carplay and that makes it easy to use Maps for navigation. The other one is older and doesn’t have CarPlay. It’s too hard to keep an eye on the phone but my Apple Watch gives haptic feedback and shows wha the next turn is so it is much easier to follow while driving. Agree that the voice prompts can get lost, but the Watch is dependable. I’m sure that the Pixel watch is similarly useful for this.

Except that the round display tucked inside all that bezel shows so little information you won’t be able to see which direction to turn.

 

[groove-agent]

I'm probably alone here, but I'd love to see a round Apple Watch. The blocky square design seems unattractive and unstylish.

It's more function over form, which is ironically opposite of what Apple normally produces.

 

[Johnly]

Googles pixel and watch offerings are very apple like, so I would imagine they will have some success for people that want that but don’t want to switch eco systems. Google is still built on tracking everything you do and providing adds. I don’t know why someone would want to be googles product. Data collecting add delivering google. Absolutely no thanks, I am good.

 

[Piggie]

Honestly I don't get all the hate.
We should all be happy that both square and round watches are being made by multiple companies.
Giving consumers the choice to buy the design/style they personally want should be the important bit.
It would be like me saying I love Tesla and I don't think any other car should exist. That would be dumb, and arrogant of me to say.
If you don't like a round digital watch then don't buy one. If you do want one, then be happy there is an option for you.

 

[Johnly]

I'm not digging the Google Watch. Is it just me or it looks like it was put together last minute?

Definitely not digging it at all, and it does look cheep.

 

[chucker23n1]

It would be like me saying I love Tesla and I don't think any other car should exist.

It’d be more like one side saying “the choice to give the Model 3 virtually no physical controls makes them harder to use while driving” vs. “yeah but I like the clean way it looks”. The Pixel Watch arguably looks nice and clean. The Apple Watch has a more utilitarian approach.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

The Pixel Watch arguably looks nice and clean.

If you like big bezels and you cannot lie, yes.

 

[chucker23n1]

If you like big bezels and you cannot lie, yes.

I mean, I prefer the Apple Watch. It strikes the right balance. I also think a lot of people are concluding “this is a good-looking watch“ when subconsciously, it’s actually “this is what watches looked like 50 years ago so it must be a good-looking watch”.

But even if the bezel were 0mm, it would still be a round watch, which for something digital is just dumb. It just is. At best, people can defend it as “I won’t interact with the display much anyway”. But even that is really just a foregone conclusion: indeed you won’t because it would suck to.

 

[himynameisryan]

I'll continue to use my Garmin watch that I charge once every 3 weeks.

with a 12fps interface and 1/2 the features

 

[daveathall]

.

 

[daveathall]

The Pixel phone is superb and now that there is a deal where one can get a Pixel watch free with the phone it is incredible value. It is a good introduction to the smart watch ownership, it is almost guaranteed that once in that eco system, more advanced and expensive watches will be released. For those in the UK, O2 are also doing a further deal of something like £8 a month off the Tarrif so the Pixel Pro, Pixel watch, 30gb data, unlimited calls and text comes out at £41.74 ($47) a month, that a good deal no matter which way you look at it. (I have no connection whatsoever with Google or O2)

Pixel 7/7 Pro Launch GWP

 

[drzen]

People complaining about the round form factor would have still complained that Google "copied" Apple if they had released a rectangular watch. The new Fitbits with the subtly rounded square cases look much nicer and more "organic" than Apple's miniature iPad look.

 

[svenmany]

People complaining about the round form factor would have still complained that Google "copied" Apple if they had released a rectangular watch. The new Fitbits with the subtly rounded square cases look much nicer and more "organic" than Apple's miniature iPad look.

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. In my eyes, Gooey never creates beauty, they just copy it (and often create ugly). To give you a sense of my tastes, Gooey created Gmail, a very unique look. I find it ugly.

Now they've copied the Swatch watch.

 

[CarAnalogy]

I'm not digging the Google Watch. Is it just me or it looks like it was put together last minute?

Not so much last minute as by committee.

 

[CarAnalogy]

People complaining about the round form factor would have still complained that Google "copied" Apple if they had released a rectangular watch. The new Fitbits with the subtly rounded square cases look much nicer and more "organic" than Apple's miniature iPad look.

They very, very clearly did copy Apple. At least they could have copied just one more good idea and made it square so you can see more than one word dead center of the display.

 

[ThisBougieLife]

I kind of like the minimalism of the Pixel Watch, but ultimately Apple seems to be ahead. I also echo the point made about Google possibly abandoning this soon after.

 

[Abazigal]

I kind of like the minimalism of the Pixel Watch, but ultimately Apple seems to be ahead. I also echo the point made about Google possibly abandoning this soon after.

This ought to be a standard disclaimer on all Google product reviews moving forward. “Assuming said product doesn’t get discontinued in 2 year’s time…”

 

[daveathall]

How much info does one need on a smart watch? I just look at the notification and preview of the message, if it interests me, I (gasp) get my phone from my pocket. The way members are going on here, their watch completely takes over from their watch. Is that the case, has their phone become completely redundant with a watch? Why do all these people buy a phone with a bigger than 6" display if they use their watch for everything? Shouldn't an iPhone Max be the least best seller? Where are all these people that are squinting at their tiny (in comparison) watch while they do their daily work?

In most cases, it is very obvious that a lot of those commenting here have not got, or never had a Sports/fitness/smart watch and are just parroting what others are saying. When one is working out/running, one doesn't need a lot of detail, heart rate, time and distance are normally all that are required. Once the workout is finished, one can then check on the details of it on their phone, or, if one uses a Garmin watch, look on their iPad or Mac Book Air, strange that one can't read their data on a Mac or iPad with an Apple Watch.

I don't know what the interface (data readout) will be like on the Pixel watch, but, to be honest, it doesn't need to do much to equal the Ultra. I have an Ultra, the readout is that of a basic fitness or health watch at best. Being able to get info on ones browser would be a start for Apple.

 

[daveathall]

They very, very clearly did copy Apple. At least they could have copied just one more good idea and made it square so you can see more than one word dead center of the display.

Doesn't matter how big the display is, even if it is a 60" TV, you can only get "one word dead centre" of the display.

 

[Darth Tulhu]

Just got a refurb series 7 and I already love it.

I just didn’t care to pay for the useful but not worth the money (to me) new series 8 features.

 

[coolbreeze2]

What would be cool if there was a "Parellels" type of software for watches! Or, some way to pair a Google watch to an iPhone. I wouldn't buy an Android phone but would consider wearing a circular-shaped watch some days instead of my Apple watch. Or maybe Apple and Google could make a watch that does not require pairing to function.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Doesn't matter how big the display is, even if it is a 60" TV, you can only get "one word dead centre" of the display.

Yeah but you can see more than that one word. My point is that’s the only place on that display it will be legible.

 

[daveathall]

What would be cool if there was a "Parellels" type of software for watches! Or, some way to pair a Google watch to an iPhone. I wouldn't buy an Android phone but would consider wearing a circular-shaped watch some days instead of my Apple watch. Or maybe Apple and Google could make a watch that does not require pairing to function.

The Garmin Connect app works flawlessly With iOS it can also be used on ones Safari browser on a Mac Book. The Garmin connect app also integrates with Apple health brilliantly.

 

[svenmany]

How much info does one need on a smart watch?

I have this vague sense of claustrophobia when looking at a message and the edges are kind of cramped or chopped off.

In most cases, it is very obvious that a lot of those commenting here have not got, or never had a Sports/fitness/smart watch and are just parroting what others are saying.

Thanks for being so generous with our community.