Six New Features Are Coming to the Pixel Watch 5.
At first glance, you might think the new Google Pixel Watch 5 is actually the Pixel Watch 4. That’s because it has the same “Actua 360” display with an identical 320 PPI pixel density and up to 3000 nits of brightness. And, like the Pixel Watch 4, the Pixel Watch 5 is available in two sizes: 41mm or 45mm. If it weren’t for the new colors, you might think this year’s watch is identical to last year’s.
Complicating matters further, many of the newest software features Google announced with the Pixel Watch 5 are also compatible with older models. Features like “Health Guardian,” which tracks insulin resistance, blood pressure, and sleep-related breathing trends, will be available on the Pixel Watch 4 upon its release, just as it was on the Pixel Watch 5. But while the Pixel Watch 5 is a minor update to the Pixel Watch 4, it’s still an update: it adds six new features exclusive to this model that aren’t available on older versions.
The Pixel Watch 5 smartwatch is equipped with a new chip.
The Pixel Watch 4 uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 chip; the Pixel Watch 5 uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Accelerated chip. The difference may seem insignificant, and indeed, we don’t currently have benchmark results to say exactly how much faster the Pixel Watch 5 is compared to its predecessor.
However, according to Google, the “Accelerated” chip in the Pixel 5 enables faster processing of AI functions on the device than before. This includes Google’s “Raise to Talk” feature, which lets you interact with Gemini by raising your wrist. The company claims that these functions on the Pixel Watch 5 are now processed “instantaneously with low latency,” even when you’re not connected to the internet.
This chip also powers the Gemini Intelligence proactive suggestions feature (previously called Magic Cue by Google). These are new suggestions that automatically appear based on the context of your actions: if someone asks you for your flight information, Gemini can use your Pixel Watch 5’s chip to scan your apps and display that information, offering it as a sharing option with a single tap. Google claims the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Accelerated chip has 50% more RAM than the previous generation and 12% faster CPU performance, making the entire chip 20% faster overall.
The Pixel Watch 5 smartwatch features highly accurate GPS route tracking.
Google is making bold claims about the Pixel Watch 5. It claims its latest watch has the most accurate GPS tracking of any Pixel Watch (twice as accurate as previous generations in “the most challenging conditions,” according to the company), and even outperforms the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Garmin Fenix 8 Pro. We’ll see how true these claims are when reviewers actually test the watch.
To achieve such advances in GPS route tracking, Google says it used Google Maps to “trace satellite beams through 3D building models.” The company also explains how the Pixel Watch 5 can connect to weather stations around the world in real time to adjust data for local atmospheric conditions. Google claims all of these steps improve route accuracy.
The Pixel Watch 5 has improved sleep tracking.
While the Pixel Watch 4 largely replicates the new health features Google plans to roll out in the coming months, the Pixel Watch 5 excels in some areas. Google claims the newest watch is 15% more accurate at detecting sleep stages, which should improve overall sleep tracking. Additionally, the Auto Bedtime feature on the Pixel Watch 5 can automatically pause audiobooks when you fall asleep, and there’s now a dedicated sleep watch face.
New watch faces and widgets on the Pixel Watch 5
Google says the Pixel Watch 5 comes with two new “stunning” watch faces, as well as 11 new “handy” widget styles. The company didn’t show what they look like in the press releases, but 9to5Google published images of the watch faces (Weave and Chronograph). You can also use AI to generate new watch faces if the available options don’t suit you.
Pixel Watch 5 is now available in new colors.
Google announced three new color options for the Watch 5, though only two of them are available in both sizes. These are Mist, Olive, and Canyon, with the latter being exclusive to the 41mm model. If you’re set on the 45mm model, you can opt for the Stephen Curry Special Edition, as that model isn’t available in 41mm.
Detection of breathing emergencies (EU only)
One of the Pixel Watch 5’s exclusive health-related features is “respiratory failure detection.” Google says the Pixel Watch 5 can use built-in AI to simultaneously read data from the PPG, accelerometer, and barometer sensors to determine if you’ve stopped breathing. This could be caused by drug poisoning, pneumonia, or suffocation. The company claims that if the watch detects respiratory failure and you’re unable to respond, it will contact emergency services on your behalf, even sharing your location in real time. This feature will first launch in Europe.