Changes in store: Google pulls the plug on Pixel Watch's brown leather band

Just recently, Google rolled out its latest Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro alongside the Pixel Watch 2. However, with the introduction of the Pixel Watch 2, there's been a shake-up in Google's watch band lineup, and it comes with a trade-off. Unfortunately, this shuffle led to the removal of some options, including the first-party brown leather band.

The "Linen" Two-Tone Leather band provided a lighter brown shade with gold hardware, making it a perfect match for the gold Pixel Watch. However, this variant has now been entirely taken off the market (via 9to5Google). Presently, Google offers Obsidian black/grey, Porcelain white/grey (slightly updated from last year's Chalk), and Bay for its watch bands.

Last year's initial lineup for Pixel Watch featured a solid range of bands. There were various active-focused options in different colors, including two types of high-quality leather bands. The Two-Tone Leather, in particular, was a standout, and it was the only way to snag a brown leather band for the Pixel Watch at launch.

This year, Google introduced a blue color for its Crafted Leather band, but oddly, there's still no brown option. Considering brown leather is a common and iconic choice for leather accessories, it's puzzling that Google decided to eliminate this option from its lineup.

Notably, the Two-Tone Leather band was exclusive to the Google Store, leaving no alternative source for purchasing it. While other brands offer replacements, the convenience of getting it directly from Google has been lost.

The Pixel Watch 2 represents a nice upgrade over the original, but if you're an owner of the first generation, you might not find compelling reasons to make the switch. And that's perfectly fine—smartwatch innovation tends to progress at a slower pace. On the flip side, users also tend to stick with their watches for a long time.