The Google Pixel Watch was unveiled late last year, marking the brands' first exploration into the world of smartwatches. Hopes were high, and generally speaking, the Pixel Watch gave a good account of itself.
It's not perfect though. Some users complain that the battery life is low, while others take issue with the size of the bezel.
At least one of those looks set to change with the next Pixel Watch, though. That's because the Google Pixel Watch 2 is rumoured to do away with the Samsung Exynos chip in favour of a Snapdragon W5 series option.
The current W5 chip offers a massive boost for the watches it powers. We've just seen it for the first time in the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5, where our reviewer commended the chip, saying, "[it] finally makes Wear OS work as it should."
According to Qualcomm, users can expect up to 50% better battery life than the previous Snapdragon equivalent, with a smaller, thinner design and improved efficiency, courtesy of a 4nm architecture. That efficiency boost should bring a whole lot more to the Pixel Watch.
It's a really top-tier upgrade. Battery life is one of my biggest gripes with smartwatches at the moment. Popular choices like the array of Apple Watches have a particularly weedy offering, and the original Pixel Watch certainly falls into that camp. While I can't see this change sparking Garmin watch levels of longevity, I do think it will mark a notable improvement.
There's no confirmed release date for the Pixel Watch 2 – in fact, this is one of the first big rumours we've heard about it. If Google are planning to release a new model each year, expect to see it in the autumn alongside the expected Google Pixel 8 range.
