Google Pixel Watch 4: Leaked Specs Reveal AI Boost and Battery Improvements

I'm a wearables editor and here are the 7 Pixel Watch 4 rumors I'm most curious about

We might be getting new Google smartwatches very soon. Also: The 45mm Pixel Watch 3 is $100 off on Amazon - get it while the deal lasts Google recently confirmed its next Made by Google event, the tech giant's annual hardware launch, typically held in August. Made by Google's X account confirmed it will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 20, at 1 p.m. ET. Google could debut new Pixel phones (including a foldable if the rumors are true), Pixel Buds, and maybe even a Google Pixel Watch 4, if I'm lucky. As ZDNET's wearables editor, I'm keeping my eye on the Pixel Watch 4 chatter. Also: Google will announce its next lineup of Pixels on August 20 - here's what we know While Google has kept the details of its next hardware release discreet, a few leaks give hints about what to expect with the fourth-generation smartwatch. I've contacted the company for comment and will report back if I get any confirmation. For now, let's dive into the most exciting and notable features we could see in the Pixel Watch 4. According to rumors, the Pixel Watch 4 is expected to ship in the same sizes as its predecessor: 41 mm and 45 mm. Another rumor suggests that the Pixel Watch 4 will keep the chipset from the Watch 3, the Snapdragon W5 + Gen 1. However, there are murmurs of a new processor entering the smartwatch: Google's M55 processor. Also: The best smartwatches 2025: I wore these for weeks and found the perfect one for your wrist This processor should enable the Watch 4 to handle five times the AI power, according to Android Headlines. The Watch 4 is going to need all the AI-processing power it can get, as Gemini arrives on the new smartwatch after debuting on the Galaxy Watch. The Pixel Watch 3 is a hefty smartwatch already -- and the thickest I've worn. It could get even thicker, according to 91mobiles, to make room for a larger battery. The site says the fourth-gen watch has a thickness of 14.3 mm. As someone with a small wrist, this is one unwelcome change I hope won't come to fruition. The major smartwatch competitors, Samsung and Apple, have gone slimmer with their Galaxy and Apple Watches to make the devices more comfortable to sleep in, exercise in, and wear anywhere. That thinness and levity directly relate to comfort and wearability. Also: Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 vs. Pixel Watch 3: Which Android smartwatch should you buy? However, battery life is a major wearability factor as well, and it's a draw for some users, so what we may sacrifice in chunkiness we make up for in an extended battery. According to the folks at Android Headlines, Google will expand its personal safety features with Emergency Satellite Communications and a Breathing Emergencies feature. The SPO2 sensor on the Pixel Watch 4 will monitor blood-oxygen levels and wave the red flag when they've gone too low. 91mobiles also spotted two new buttons on each side of the Pixel Watch 4's speaker. If I had to guess their function, I'd bet one is for a health monitor. We're seeing more on-device health functionalities debut on smartwatches. Also: Best Android smartwatches: I tested every popular watch so you can find the perfect fit Earlier this month, Samsung debuted an Antioxidant Index that is activated by pressing a thumb on the smartwatch's BioActive Sensor. The Pixel Watch 4 could be back and brighter than ever, according to Android Headlines. This places its brightness on par with the recently debuted Galaxy Watch 8 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. One common frustration among wearable health tech users is the device's absolute unrepairability. That could soon change. Android Headlines says that the Pixel Watch 4 could (finally) be repairable, so you won't have to replace the entire watch if your display or battery breaks. This is a great step forward for environmental consciousness, customer satisfaction, and longevity. Also: Google just gave the Pixel Watch its most important update yet - how US users can opt in Get the morning's top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.

New Pixel Watch 4 leak details even more hardware upgrades ahead of next month's launch

Google confirmed today that it will hold its hardware event on August 20. The showcase should include its Pixel phones, watches, earbuds, and more. Coincidentally, a new leak about the Pixel Watch 4 also arrived today. This leak reveals what could be the specs for both the 41mm and 45mm models. Just in time for Google's announcement, Android Headlines has shared the specs for the Pixel Watch 4. According to the report, Google's next smartwatch will have the same processor as its predecessor -- the Snapdragon W5 Plus Gen 1. While the chip is staying the same, the company is at least upgrading the battery (which we mentioned in our own report) and making the display brighter. Additionally, it's said to have a new co-processor that Google calls M55. The outlet mentions that the M55 will allow the Pixel Watch 4 to handle five times the "AI workload at a fraction of the power."

Pixel Watch 4 specs leak reveals new co-processor, battery life boost

As we approach the launch, the Pixel Watch 4 is beginning to leak as heavily as the Pixel 10 series, with specs for the upcoming wearables emerging today to detail this year's upgrades. According to a leak yesterday, the Pixel Watch 4 retains the same Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 for a third year. An Android Headlines report adds that Google will be using a new M55 co-processor. The M33 that the Pixel Watch has been using from the beginning was released by Arm in 2016, with Google using the co-processor to offload tasks from the main chip and power things like per second heart rate measurements. The M55 is from 2020, with today's post mentioning how it's "going to be able to handle 5x the AI workload at a fraction of the power." It brings energy-efficient digital signal processing (DSP) and machine learning (ML) capabilities to the Cortex-M family. With the Cortex-M55 processor, developers can take advantage of the ease-of-use of Cortex-M, a single toolchain, optimized software libraries, and an industry-leading embedded ecosystem. The processor allows the integration of differentiating AI techniques, while staying within the system cost and energy constraints of battery powered IoT devices. -- Arm The chips are paired with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage like before. The next Pixel Watch 3 spec upgrade is an up to 3,000 nits display that's up from 2,000 nits peak brightness today. Otherwise, it's the same 320 PPI AMOLED LTPO with a 1-60 Hz refresh rate. Google is increasing the estimated battery life. The 41mm Pixel Watch 4 (325 mAh) will get up to 30 hours with the always-on display and 48 hours with Battery Saver. On the 45mm model (455 mAh), it's 40 hours AOD and 72 hours with Battery Saver. As of the Pixel Watch 3, Google quotes the same 24 hours AOD and 36 hours with Battery Saver across the two sizes. In practice, the larger size gets much better battery life.

The Google Pixel Watch 4 is rumored to sport a bigger battery - but I'm hoping it's not just for a brighter screen and on-device AI

Other improvements include a brighter screen, but the watch will wield the same Snapdragon chipset as last year The Google Pixel Watch 4 specifications seem to have leaked, giving us an advance preview of what's sure to be one of the best Android smartwatches of the year. As reported by Android Headlines, the Google Pixel Watch 4 will again arrive in two sizes: a 41mm and 45mm. It's said to be getting a revamp in several areas, including a brighter screen with up to 3,000 nits of brightness, and a new co-processor to handle the workload of on-device AI. Crucially, it will apparently be getting a larger capacity battery, with the 41mm said to be able to reach 48 hours in battery saver mode and the 45mm reaching 72 hours. Battery saver mode on Pixel Watch disables the always-on display, can delay notifications and dims brightness. We're not sure yet how it would interact with Gemini, but it's likely the power-hungry AI features would be affected too. Wear OS 6, the operating system the Google Pixel Watch 4 will be running, is said to be battery-efficient despite the colorful Materia 3 Expressive redesign and AI functionalities, with Google stating watches running the OS get 10% more battery life. That's really encouraging, although if battery saver mode prevents users accessing Gemini features, the larger capacity battery will only serve to keep the Pixel Watch 4 at the same 24 hours between charges as its predecessor. I've been saying it for years: health-focused watches that are designed to be worn for battery-sapping GPS workouts and sleep tracking need longer battery lives in order to be useful. There are a lot of people who hate charging their watches every day, so seeing Google equip its latest Pixel Watches with larger-capacity batteries is very encouraging. However, there's not much point in buying an AI-equipped watch if you don't use the AI features. If battery saver mode impacts Gemini on Google watch, it's likely that we'll be stuck with the same old 24 hours or so, as we'll mostly leave battery saver off in order to make the most of Wear OS 6's advanced suite of AI-powered tools. Whether you're asking Gemini to summarize your notifications, add something to your workout plan or text your significant other to ask for items to add to your grocery list, this is going to be the Pixel Watch 4's key selling point. I'd just love it if I could wear my Pixel Watch for 48 hours straight while using all its features, like I can the best Garmin watches.

Overall Pixel Watch 4 Specs Could See Several Key Upgrades

We may earn a commission when you click links to retailers and purchase goods. More info. There may have been some disappointment from a report yesterday that suggested Google was running it back for a third time with the Snapdragon W5 chip, but a newer report today suggests other improvements that may make up for it. We're talking brighter displays, a new co-processor, and a suite of new sensors to track your health and more. Pixel Watch 4 specs leak: According to a fresh report on the Pixel Watch 4, Google is planning to swap out its older Cortex-M33 co-processor for a newer chip Google is referring to as "M55." This new chip can supposedly handle 5x the AI workload while being far more power efficient than the older model. Now that Gemini has launched on Wear OS, this could be important as we learn what Google plans to do with AI on its own wearables. In addition to that new co-processor, the larger batteries we talked about yesterday will apparently increase estimated battery life in a big way. The 41mm Pixel Watch 4 will jump to 30 hours (from 24 hours) of use with always-on display active or 48 hours (from 36 hours) in battery saver mode. The larger 45mm Pixel Watch 4 could see 40 hours (from 36 hours) with always-on display active or 72 hours (from 36 hours) in battery saver mode. Google is also reportedly going to up the peak brightness on the display to 3,000 nits and allow for the watch to charge on its side (likely through those pins we saw in renders). That could mean a new charger option that allows the watch to act as a bedside or table clock as it charges. Finally, Google is said to upgrade most of the sensors in the watch, including the compass, sensors for SpO2 tracking, sensors for ECG app, the heart rate sensor, altimeter, gyroscope, accelerometer, barometer, magnetometer, and ultra-wideband. So again, the Pixel Watch 4 is rumored to run the same Qualcomm chip from last year, but everything else could see a decent upgrade. We'll take it.