Gadget Weekly
Be part of Namerah Saud Fatmi as she explores the cool, quirky, and typically downright odd world of smartphone equipment, devices, and different nerdy toys each week.
In his Pixel Watch 3 overview, Android Central’s senior editor for wearables, Michael Hicks, mentioned that the Watch 3 fixes many of the Watch 2’s shortcomings. Nonetheless, I would prefer to give attention to one irrevocable downside of the Watch 3: band compatibility.
We’re now on the third iteration of the Pixel Watch. Launched in August 2024, this 12 months’s Google smartwatch got here out a bit of sooner than its older siblings. The unique Pixel Watch made its debut at on the October 2022 Made by Google occasion.
Three generations onwards, and assist for third-party bands is embarrassingly unhealthy. We had been all dismayed when the OG Pixel Watch launched with proprietary connectors. Not like Samsung’s Galaxy Watch sequence, you can not use normal quick-release lugs with any of Google’s watches. This limits most customers to first-party bands. Similar to the Pixel Watch 3 itself, you in all probability know the way costly that may be. Until you get the Watch 3 on sale, for instance, like the continuing October Prime Day 2024, shopping for it together with first-party bands may bankrupt you.
To everybody’s dismay, the Pixel Watch 3 continues to make use of proprietary connectors. Individuals who need extra selection find yourself utilizing workarounds like quick-release adapters from no-name Chinese language producers on Amazon. Our very personal Nick Sutrich examined them, and the consequence was very unreliable. You run the nice threat of getting the band and adapter come out of Google’s Pixel Watch connectors, which can lead to breakage. Such a high-level threat is not price it for a wearable that can not be repaired.
So, what offers? Why do not third-party manufacturers work with Google to launch inexpensive alternate options? Nicely, it isn’t like there are zero choices. Nonetheless, Google does not appear to have inspired accent makers sufficient because it often does with cellphone case makers for the Pixel cellphone sequence.
For instance, there’s a big selection of vetted third-party cellphone circumstances and equipment underneath the Made by Google moniker. However there are zero Made by Google model collabs for Pixel wearables. This reinforces my perception that proprietary bands weren’t the best transfer for Pixel Watches. Sure, Google-made smartwatches are gorgeous and provide so many superior options, however this lack of band assist simply is likely to be a deal-breaker for a lot of people.
Not everybody can splurge a lot cash on a easy watch band. Third-party choices virtually at all times value method cheaper than first-party choices. This stands true for all equipment, be they watch bands, cellphone circumstances, USB cables, or chargers.
Spigen and its sister model Caseology are two of the only a few title manufacturers that make bands for Pixel Watches. Nonetheless, even their lineup for Google’s wearables pales compared to what they provide for Samsung and Apple smartwatches. I reached out to them to look into why that is the case with the Pixel Watch, regardless of it being on the third technology now.
Spigen’s reply was quick and easy. In keeping with them, there is not sufficient demand for them to supply a bigger number of bands for the Pixel Watch. It boils right down to sheer numbers, and the Pixel Watch neighborhood is comparatively a lot youthful than Apple and Samsung’s wearable customers. Because the variety of Pixel Watch customers grows, Spigen plans so as to add to the lineup accordingly. That is in all probability what different producers are pondering as effectively.
Till then, we’re all compelled to buy first-party bands if we would like assurance that the band will match and lock in. There are many low cost non-name choices on-line, however none of them have nice critiques.
Now, Google’s first-party bands for the Pixel Watch sequence aren’t half unhealthy, however they’re very dear. The Lively Band continues to be my all-time favourite, and with the discharge of the Pixel Watch 3, the dimensions and colour ranges have been expanded. There’s nothing fairly prefer it, and I say that as somebody who makes use of Samsung, Amazfit, and Fossil smartwatches on the common, amongst others. The Lively Band’s gentle fluoroelastomer is of unequalled high quality, light on the pores and skin, hypoallergenic, and waterproof. I put on it virtually each single day, the truth is.
There are a great deal of different choices from Google, however they are not accessible in each area. Worse than that’s the price of getting one. The most cost effective Pixel Watch band begins at $50, which is ridiculous for a plain outdated artificial rubber watch strap.
It will get even worse as a result of the official Steel Hyperlinks Band is greater than half the price of the essential Pixel Watch 3. Let that sink in — $200 for a bloody steel band. The joke does not finish with the nonsensical pricing as a result of this mega-expensive band does not even are available all three of the smartwatch’s shades. In order for you a Champagne Gold steel band that matches your Pixel Watch, you are caught with the thinner Steel Slim Band, priced at $180.
Why would not they provide this shade for the broader Steel Hyperlinks Band as effectively? And did I point out that the Steel Slim Band hasn’t even began promoting but? On the finish of the day, we’re compelled to purchase bands from Google for unreasonable sums of cash, and the band vary is not even inclusive sufficient. Hopefully, the Pixel Watch 4 shall be sufficient to persuade third-party manufacturers — in addition to Google — that we’d like extra selection and low cost Pixel Watch bands which might be assured to work effectively.
Google Pixel Watch Lively Band
Comfiest strap for Pixel Watches
Of all of the Pixel Watch bands that I’ve examined, the first-party Google Pixel Watch Lively Band stays my favourite. There’s nothing as snug or as gentle and velvety to the contact as this waterproof fluoroelastomer strap.