The wildest tech leak of 2026 isn't the iPhone Fold, it's a Pixel Watch 5 found at the bottom of the ocean
Even before the announcement of the Google Pixel Watch 5, its prototype has been found in the ocean.
Google Pixel Watch 4. | Image by PhoneArena
These days it's very common for features and details about upcoming devices to surface online months before their release window. Usually, all this is done by some insiders or reliable tipsters like Digital Chat Station and Mark Gurman.
Just a couple of hours after Randy posted about the watch on X, he made another post mentioning that he was now in contact with the owner. The new post mentions, "Thanks to the magic of the internet, I am now in touch with the owner, and we have arranged for its return."
I was honestly thinking that the craziest leak of 2026 would be something related to the iPhone Fold. Its images have definitely surfaced online, but I am expecting something even wilder, like the iPhone 4 incident. For reference, in 2010, an Apple software engineer mistakenly left the prototype of the unreleased iPhone 4 at a bar in California.
But the upcoming Google smartwatch, the Pixel Watch 5, has been leaked in the craziest way possible. Its prototype has allegedly been found in the ocean.
While we have been constantly hearing leaks about the upcoming Pixel 11 series, the rumor market has been completely silent about the Watch 5. However, Randy Pitchford, the former CEO of Gearbox, yesterday (31st May) posted on X that his friend has found a smartwatch in the ocean that they believe is the Pixel Watch 5.
Pixel Watch 5 found in the ocean
Randy mentioned in his post that his friend found the watch underwater while scuba diving near the island of St. Martin. The shared picture clearly shows that both "Google" and "Pixel Watch 5" are embedded at the back of the watch. This has made both Randy and his friend believe that it's actually the prototype of Google's upcoming smartwatch.
The watch reportedly didn't have enough charge to power on, but thanks to its reserve power, it was able to show the correct time on the display. The found device also appears to have some of the health metrics and features that Google offers in its smartwatches embedded at its back. This includes the mention of terms like the heart rate sensor, 45 mm, UWB (Ultra Wideband Technology), EDA, IP68, sleep tracking, and SpO2.
Interesting markings at the back of the watch
A friend of mine found this watch a few days ago ~underwater~ when he was scuba diving near the island of St. Martin. He noted that the reverse of the watch indicates that it is a Google Pixel 5, which has not yet been announced, let alone released. It seems to be fine. The face… pic.twitter.com/Mnenov1sFE
— Randy Pitchford (@DuvalMagic) May 31, 2026
None of these markings and capabilities are new. You will find all of them embedded in the Pixel Watch 4, and in the same order as well.
What upgrades would you want to see in the Pixel Watch 5 over the Pixel Watch 4?
The owner of the watch has been found
Thanks to AI, I am not fully convinced
Anyway, the unannounced Pixel Watch 5 found underwater while scuba diving is also a crazy story in itself. But am I completely convinced that it's actually the device it is being claimed to be… umm, I'm not so sure. You see, AI tools have become really advanced these days, so it's very easy to take an image of a Pixel Watch 4 and alter its name at the back to say that it's a Watch 5.
What's making me believe this even more is that this appears to be completely similar to its predecessor in terms of design and dimensions. All the markings on it are similar, and that too in the same order.
But at the same time, it's also worth mentioning that Randy Pitchford is a reputable internet personality, and I don't think of any reason why he would actually post an edited image. Furthermore, tech companies usually test their unreleased products outside in controlled environments.
For instance, the Oppo Find X9 Ultra prototype was leaked a couple of months before its actual release. However, if I am not wrong, it's the first time that a prototype of an unreleased product has been found underwater. So, if you were to ask me, I would say to take this news with a grain of salt, as there's a high possibility that it could either be entirely true or entirely false.
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