Pixel Watch 4 specs reportedly show good news for the batteries, bad news for a key component
The Pixel Watch 4 is expected to get bigger batteries, faster charging, but the same old processor.
Google is making some improvements to make the Pixel Watch last longer between charges in the latest iteration of the Pixel Watch, the Pixel Watch 4. Citing a source allegedly inside Google, a new report says the 41mm timepiece, known internally as meridian, or FME23, will see a 7% increase in battery capacity from 307 mAh on the Pixel Watch 3 to 327 mAh. The larger 45mm model, codenamed kenari, or FK23, will have an even larger 9% increase in battery capacity from 420 mAh to 459 mAh.
Considering that Google advertised up to 24-hour battery life for the Pixel Watch 3 with the Always-on Display (AOD) feature enabled, the increase in battery capacity for both Pixel Watch 4 sizes bodes well for continued all day battery life for the latest Pixel timepiece. Charging speeds are supposed to rise with for this year's two sizes. Last year's Pixel Watch 3 had the following charging speeds:
Pixel Watch 3-41mm
- 0% to 50%: Approximately 24 minutes
- 0% to 80%: Approximately 35 minutes
- 0% to 100%: Approximately 60 minutes (1 hour)
Pixel Watch 3-45mm
- 0% to 50%: Approximately 28 minutes
- 0% to 80%: Approximately 50 minutes
- 0% to 100%: Approximately 80 minutes
With the Pixel 4 watches supposedly getting faster charging speeds, these numbers should be reduced this year, although battery capacities are rising as well. Larger batteries typically take longer to fully charge although the hope is that the bigger battery capacities are more than offset by the faster charging speeds.
Despite the improvement in battery capacity and charging speed, one important component is staying the same for the third consecutive year. Ever since the Pixel Watch 2 was released, the Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 has been the processor powering the device. This might be a disappointing move for consumers who always like to see a newer, more powerful processor on a device they buy.
You really can't blame Google for this. Qualcomm is believed to still be working on the next-generation chip for wearables, the "sw6100." With Qualcomm continuing to work on launching this component, there isn't much that Google could do but keep using the W5 Gen 1. The latter has held its own for two years, but now, in its third year, Pixel Watch 4 buyers can only hope that the component doesn't start showing its age.
The Pixel Watch 4 could be introduced alongside the new Pixel 10 series (Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro Fold) on August 20th. The devices introduced during the event might be released on August 28th.
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