Google Pixel Watch 2 leak promises lighter design, and a new Fitbit ‘Coach’

The Google Pixel Watch is one of the best smartwatches, but it's coming up to its first birthday. That means we’re probably not too far away from the launch of the Pixel Watch 2 — and whatever changes Google may have in store for us. A new report from 9to5Google may have revealed what some more of those changes are.

According to the report two key changes are coming to the Pixel Watch 2. The first is Google may be swapping the stainless steel frame for aluminum, and that Fitbit may be powering a new “Coach” workouts feature with the device.

According to 9to5Google, the change in materials will have a massive impact on the weight of the Pixel Watch 2. While the original Pixel Watch weighs 1.26 ounces (36 grams) without the band, it seems the Pixel Watch will come out at 0.91 ounces (26 grams) without the band. That’s the same weight as the Fitbit Sense 2.

This means the Pixel Watch 2 is so light, you’ll barely be able to feel it on your wrist. That’s rather important for a fitness and sleep tracking device, because a less obvious device is easier to ignore — letting your brain focus on other things.

Now to Fitbit Coach, which is said to be a new feature for Fitbit Premium — and part of an impending overhaul of the Fitbit app. While details are scant, 9to5Google claims that this will be similar to the kinds of features Fitbit Premium already offers. So don’t expect any major advances in technology. Not yet, anyway.

Pixel Watch 2: Everything else we know so far

We’re expecting the Pixel Watch 2 to launch alongside the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro later this year. And given Google's track record, we’re likely to hear a lot about the smartwatch before that day.

So far rumors haven’t been particularly forthcoming, but we have heard about a few upgraded features coming to the Pixel Watch 2 when it launches. The first is that it may be able to monitor stress levels, much like the Fitbit Sense 2, thanks to something called continuous electrodermal activity (cEDA).

This feature uses a machine learning algorithm that is trained to detect how and when your body changes in different situations. Things like skin temperature, sweat levels, heart rate, and all the other things a smartwatch can measure are all included with this. 

And once the watch has worked out an accurate baseline, it’s able to suggest activities that can help you manage your stress levels more effectively. Presumably the Pixel Watch 2 version will be a little more advanced and refined than the Fitbit Sense 2.

It’s been suggested that the Pixel Watch 2 may also ditch the Samsung Exynos chipset in favor of the Snapdragon W5 Plus silicon from Qualcomm. That chip is 4nm instead of 10nm, which should make the Pixel Watch 2 more efficient — eeking out better performance while using less power. At the very least that would see a welcome boost to the smartwatch’s battery life.

Be sure to check out our Google Pixel Watch 2 hub for all the latest news and rumors about the upcoming wearable.

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