Pixel Watch 2 will require the Android phone you pair with to run Pie or later

October 4th is the date when Google will not only unveil the next iteration of its flagship Pixel phone line (Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro) but will also introduce the Pixel Watch 2. The first-generation Pixel Watch, released last year, featured a chip from back in 2018, the Exynos 9110. The latter was used on the very first Galaxy Watch making it pretty much past its prime. The Pixel Watch 2 will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 which should lead to snappier performance and better battery life for the new timepiece.

In addition, the original Pixel Watch came with Wear OS 3 and requires that the Android phone to be paired with the timepiece be running Android 8 or higher. Based on the latest Android distribution data, 92% of active Android phones would meet that requirement to pair with the original Pixel Watch. But things are going to change.

A landing page Google just published for the Pixel 8 line and the Pixel Watch 2 states at the bottom that the Pixel Watch 2 "Works with most phones running Android 9.0 or newer and requires a Google Account, Google Pixel Watch app and internet access." If you need an Android phone running Android 9.0 or higher to pair with the Pixel Watch 2, it will reduce the percentage of Android handsets available to about 84% of active models. The Pixel Watch 2 will come pre-installed with Wear OS 4 and the OG Pixel Watch will probably be updated eventually from Wear OS 3.

It seems doubtful that any Pixel Watch owner wearing the original model or the sequel is going to own an Android phone so old that it doesn't meet the requirements for pairing it with the Pixel Watch or Pixel Watch 2. Even though you need a phone running Android 8 (Oreo) or Android 9 (Pie) in order to pair your Pixel Watch or Pixel Watch 2 with an Android phone respectively, this shouldn't be a concern.