Google's potential move to eliminate pins on the Pixel Watch 4 in favour of wireless charging technology.
The much-anticipated Pixel Watch 4 is set to make its debut later this year, and rumors about its features have been swirling. Here's what we know so far.
Charging Redesign
Contrary to speculations, the Pixel Watch 4 will not support universal Qi wireless charging. Instead, it will continue to use a proprietary POGO pin charging system, but with a twist. The charging pins are now located on the left side of the watch near the speaker grill, a departure from the previous back placement. This redesign could improve repairability and enable new uses, such as the watch doubling as a bedside clock while charging.
This new side-mounted charging method uses two POGO pins and comes with a redesigned charging dock, promising 25% faster charging speeds compared to the Pixel Watch 3.
Design and Features
The Pixel Watch 4 includes an upgraded Gen 3 sensor hub, promising more accurate health and fitness tracking. The sensor layout appears similar to the previous generation, but the watch is expected to have a slightly larger battery for longer usage, alongside faster charging, though exact battery life improvements are yet to be confirmed.
New software features will include the "Gemini" voice assistant support and Wear OS improvements, enhancing the overall user experience. Rumors also suggest potential reverse wireless charging features might emerge, such as charging the watch by placing it on the back of a Pixel phone, but this is not confirmed.
Other Rumored Features
The Pixel Watch 4 is rumored to have four input buttons, including the push-button dial, potentially making it bulkier. If true, this would make it the first Pixel Watch model to have more buttons than previous versions.
The watch may also feature depth sensing, a first for the Pixel Watch series, similar to the Apple Watch Series 10. However, it's important to note that while the elimination of pogo pins from the Pixel Watch 4 does not guarantee that it will use a standard Qi-charging pad, it is a possibility.
Looking Ahead
Information about what's coming to Wear OS is expected to be revealed at Google I/O next month. While the Pixel Watch 4 advances mostly through hardware and charging redesigns, retaining proprietary POGO pins moved to the side for faster charging, improved sensors, and possibly better battery life, it does not adopt universal Qi wireless charging.
Sources for this article include 91mobiles, OnLeaks, The Verge, ZDNet, and Amazon. These sources have accurately predicted information about the Pixel Watch in the past, so we can have confidence in the reliability of the information presented here.
However, it's important to note that some popular charge-it-all-up accessories for Pixel devices only work with the last two Pixel Watch generations due to the proprietary charging method. This could potentially limit the compatibility of the Pixel Watch 4 with these accessories.
In conclusion, while the Pixel Watch 4 may not offer universal Qi wireless charging, its hardware and charging redesigns, along with potential new features, could make it an attractive option for consumers. Whether these features justify an upgrade for current Pixel Watch owners remains to be seen.
- The Pixel Watch 4's charging system will continue to use a proprietary POGO pin charging system, with a shift in location to the left side, potentially enabling new uses like doubling as a bedside clock.
- The Pixel Watch 4 is rumored to feature depth sensing, a first for the Pixel Watch series, and could adopt universal Qi wireless charging in the future, although this is not confirmed.
- Gizmodo readers may be interested to know that the Pixel Watch 4 is expected to offer improved technology, such as a Gen 3 sensor hub, faster charging, and new software features like "Gemini" voice assistant support and Wear OS improvements.
