Google’s plans have been piquing user interest for months. According to them, the group is working on its own smartwatch based on the new Wear OS 3 operating system. Now both The Verge and Insider report that the product will be released within the next year and will be offered under the Pixel brand.

Google Rohan smartwatch as Wear OS flagship

Google has been offering its own smartwatches under the Pixel brand since 2016. The major update to Wear OS 3, which was co-developed with Samsung, to this day only allows Samsung smartwatches, some features of which only work in conjunction with smartwatches from South Korea’s industry leader. The Pixel Watch, developed by Google, as some insiders call it, should have no such restrictions.

The smartwatch, which is being developed under the codename “Rohan”, is to be created by Google’s Pixel hardware group independently of Fitbit, which Google took over earlier this year for $2.1bn. According to the Insider report, Google’s first watch – it’s not yet clear whether it will eventually be sold as a “Pixel Watch” – is intended to play a similar role to Android’s Pixel smartphones: it’s designed for users – an example of what Google software can really do if given the right hardware.

The watch shouldn’t be a bargain: it’s expected to cost more than a Fitbit watch. According to The Verge’s source, the product should compete directly with the Apple Watch.

The Pixel Watch could hit the market in spring 2022

As far as runtime is concerned, no miracles are to be expected. Like the Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, the Pixel Watch needs to be charged at the end of the day – charging takes a day.

According to Insider’s sources, the watch is currently undergoing testing. This is what Google calls internal testing, in which Google employees are testing yet-to-be-released products, such as the watch, to see if they are suitable for everyday use. Two employees have told Insider that a launch is possible in the spring if the latest round of testing is successful. However, sources stress that details and release schedules could still change, depending on feedback from the testing staff. Nevertheless, a launch next year can be expected with a very high probability.