Pixel Watch 2 specs have leaked and color us concerned and intrigued

Specifications for the Pixel Watch 2 have recently surfaced in what may be the most credible leak for the wearable to date.

This information comes from 9to5Google which unearthed it from the “Google Play Console device catalog”, an official resource for Android developers. The specs sheet reveals what appears to be the Pixel Watch 2, under its codename “Eos”, and that it will come equipped with the Qualcomm SW5100. That chip identification is believed to be a reference to the base model of the Snapdragon W5 SoC (system on a chip). 

A Snapdragon W5 Plus does exist and can be found on the TicWatch Pro 5. The difference is the Plus version comes with a second “co-processor”. You may think the Pixel Watch 2 will, based on this difference, won’t perform as well as the TicWatch Pro 5. However, an Android Authority report from early August suggests Google’s new wearable will indeed have a second processor. Instead of a third-party component, the company will use a “custom co-processor… similar to the first-generation Pixel Watch.”

Better performance

Assuming this is true, we do question the decision to use the base W5 silicon as opposed to the more energy-efficient Snapdragon W5 Plus. In fact, Qualcomm claims this chipset could “double the battery life” of a smartwatch. Having the regular Snapdragon W5 will almost certainly result in a shorter battery life.

Why might Google do this? It could be a matter of finding the right balance between wearable price and the probably higher cost of more energy-efficient components.

Continuing with the leaked specs sheet, Android 13 will come pre-installed on the smartwatch. 9to5Google is taking this reveal as confirmation the Pixel Watch 2 “will launch [sporting] Wear OS 4.” They go on to claim there’s evidence the device will have the “new ‘Backup’ feature… one of the key upgrades of Wear OS 4.” Backup, as the name suggests, would give users a way to save their data and then securely transfer everything “from an old watch to [a] new one.” 

Staying the same

Compared to the two aspects we just covered, the rest of the leak is relatively minor. The screen on the Pixel Watch 2 is said to have a resolution of 384 x 384 pixels with a screen density of 320 ppi (pixels per inch) – just like the first Pixel Watch. The RAM is even staying the same at 2GB. As you can see, not everything is getting an upgrade.

We should mention the Google Play Console listing has a picture some online reports have said is the Pixel Watch 2. It’s actually a placeholder image of the original Pixel Watch. In fact, you can head over to the official Pixel Watch page on Google’s website and find the exact photograph there.

As with any leak, take this information with a grain of salt. Or maybe not. Considering all this is coming from an official source, there could be more truth in it than we realize.

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