What we want to see from the Google Pixel Watch 4

Has there ever been such a quickly improved product as the Pixel Watch? Google’s first attempt wasn’t great, but the Pixel Watch 2 was much better, and the Google Pixel Watch 3 was, frankly, excellent. So it’s safe to say there’s a lot of expectation riding on the Pixel Watch 4. Will it be a showstopper like the Pixel Watch 3? Or will Google come full circle and release another duffer, like the first Pixel Watch.

Here’s where you’ll find all the latest leaks and rumors surrounding the Pixel Watch 4. However, since we don’t have too many of those yet, we’ve also included a list of everything we’d like to see from the newest Pixel Watch.

Google Pixel Watch 4: Release and price

We haven’t seen any leaks pertaining to either of these yet, but it’s safe to assume the Pixel Watch 4 will arrive in the fall of 2025, and while a price rise isn’t our of the question, we haven’t seen anything to indicate Google will be putting prices up.

Google Pixel Watch 4: design and charging

We don’t have a lot of leaks for the Google Pixel Watch 4 yet, but what we do have suggests that not a lot will be changing in Google-land for the fourth Pixel Watch. According to leaks from OnLeaks and 91Mobiles, the Pixel Watch 4 will sport the same iconic round look, albeit with slightly smaller bezels around the display. The Pixel Watch 3 had reduced the larger bezels we’d seen on previous models, and it’s impressive that Google is further shrinking them down.

There are bigger changes around the back, with the biggest change being what’s missing. While the four sensors are still in place on the back of the device, there are no charging pins, potentially indicating that Google will be moving to wireless charging for the Pixel Watch 4. This isn’t a seachange by any means, as we’ve seen similar charging methods on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, but it is a nice addition.

Google Pixel Watch 4: What we want to see

The Pixel Watch 3 was a very good smartwatch, but it wasn’t perfect by any means. Here’s a brief list of improvements we’d like to see in the Pixel Watch 4.

An even longer battery life

The Pixel Watch 3’s battery lif was pretty good by smartwatch standards, lasting around a day-and-a-half on a single charge. But we’ve seen a lot better recently, most distinctly from the OnePlus Watch 3. OnePlus’s smartwatch was capable of lasting multiple days on one charge, above and beyond pretty much every other smartwatch around.

Could the Pixel Watch match this performance? It’s entirely possible it won’t, but it shows that smartwatches can and should do better. The Pixel Watch 3 did well in terms of battery life, but we’re hoping the Pixel Watch 4 will knock it out of the park.

Fewer features locked behind the Fitbit paywall

Google’s purchase of Fitbit meant that it had a ready-built fitness platform for its smartwatches, and the Pixel Watch has become the most premium way to experience Fitbit’s excellent exercise and health tracking. Only, it doesn’t feel very premium, entirely because you still have to pay a subscription for Fitbit’s best features.

The pill is sugared a bit by the six months of free access to Fitbit Premium you get for buying the watch, but when you’re paying premium smartwatch prices, to not get premium features feels like you’re being cheated just a little bit. The Pixel Watch 4 is a premium smartwatch, and it needs to drop the subscription if it wants to continue to be seen as such.

Upgrade the smallest size

The Pixel Watch 3 finally introduced a second, larger size to the roster, and it’s fantastic. Only, now the 41mm size needs looking at, because, frankly speaking, it’s just too small.

Previous Mobile Editor Joe Maring loved the Pixel Watch 3, and didn’t have many negative thoughts about the smartwatch — but he did note that, even for his small wrists, the 41mm Pixel Watch 3 felt too small. And it’s easy to say why he’d think that; the Pixel Watch’s sleek and smooth design is iconic for the Google brand, but it makes a small watch feel even smaller, and that’s a problem when you’re shipping an already small watch. Apple offers its smallest Apple Watch Series 10 in a 42mm size, and it’s time that Google did the same with the Pixel Watch 4.

Better durability or better repairability

The Pixel Watch 3 had all the usual durabilities you’d expect for a smartwatch, including swimmable water-resistance, but it was certainly scratch-prone, especially on the rear. Plus, that model had some terrible reports where repairability was concerned, meaning you were largely unable to replace that back panel if it became unsightly with scratches.

Granted, this isn’t a huge deal, but it’s one we’d still like to see Google iron out. A slightly tougher back panel would work wonders for Google’s Pixel Watch 4, but so would a dedication to repairability.