The Google Pixel Watch 2 has arrived at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for regulatory approval, a key step for getting any gadget launched in the US – and the filing gives us a few bits of information about the upcoming smartwatch.
First of all, the documentation (via 9to5Google) mentions testing with four separate straps: a plastic active strap, a metal mesh strap, a metal link strap, and a metal slim strap. The plastic active and metal link straps are presumably the same as are already available today for the original Pixel Watch.
That leaves the metal mesh strap, which was announced for the Google Pixel Watch but never actually went on sale, and the metal slim strap – a strap that could be a completely new one, though we’ll have to wait for the device to launch to be sure.
The other key tidbit from the FCC filing is that ultra-wideband (UWB) technology isn’t included in the wearable – though a leak last week said that it would. The tech helps in locating devices and in device-to-device communication, and can currently be found in the Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, and in the Google Pixel Tablet.
Previous rumors
While this particular Google Pixel Watch 2 leak might not be the most exciting in terms of what it reveals, it confirms that the wearable is on the way. The thinking is that it could launch sometime in October, along the Google Pixel 8.
We have heard that the design of the Pixel Watch 2 might be more lightweight than the watch it’s replacing, with the casing set to be made out of aluminum rather than stainless steel. That should make it more comfortable to wear on the wrist.
There’s also expected to be a significantly faster processor inside the Pixel Watch 2, meaning snappier performance for Wear OS. A more modern CPU should also be more efficient, which can help with battery life.
We’ve also seen some of the new watch faces that Google is prepping as exclusives for its new smartwatch, which should launch alongside Wear OS 4, the next major update for Google’s software for wearables.