Pixel Watch 2 First Look: Google's Smartwatch Gets An Upgrade

Speaker 1: Google's Pixel Watch Two looks a lot like the original, but there's plenty that's new about it. Google's second smartwatch has a new heart rate sensor that should be more accurate sensors for measuring stress and temperature and some new safety features. It starts at $350 and launches on October 12th. The Pixel Watch two feels like what the first version should have been on paper. It addresses some of the biggest issues I had with the first Pixel watch, like the fact that it lacked [00:00:30] some of the health sensors found inside the Fitbit Sense Two and the fact that it couldn't automatically detect workouts. Luckily, both of these features can be found in the Pixel Watch two, although I'll have to spend time with it before I know if it lives up to Google's promises Speaker 1: At the heart of the Pixel Watch. Two is its new heart rate sensor. It has multiple contact points enabling it to get a better signal, but should result in more accurate readings and that's important because a lot of Fitbit's, other features like active [00:01:00] zone minutes, rely on heart rate. The watch can also send an alert when you enter certain heart rate zones and running paces during your workout, which might be useful if you're training for a race. Google is also bringing more familiar Fitbit features to the Pixel watch too, including stress and temperature tracking. Like the Fitbit sensei. The Pixel Watch two can measure continuous electrodermal activity, which it combines with other factors like heart rate and body temperature to look for potential signs of stress when a response is detected. You'll be prompted [00:01:30] to log your mood and maybe take a walk to de-stress and thankfully the Pixel Watch two now supports automatic workout detection for sever different exercise types, including running end outdoor cycling. Unlike the first pixel watch which launched without workout detection, Speaker 1: Google is also bringing more safety features to the Pixel watch, like Safety Check, which lets you schedule a timer for those times when you might want to check in with friends and family members to let them know you're okay. After the timer expires, [00:02:00] the watch will ask if you're okay and we'll check whether you'd like to share your location or contact emergency services. If you don't respond, the watch will share your location with your emergency contacts. It sounds similar to Apple's check-in feature in iOS 17, which lets you notify a friend or family member when you've arrived at a location. Aside from health and safety, Google made a few other general improvements to the Pixel watch too. Google is now claiming that the watch can last for 24 hours with the always on display activated [00:02:30] and it should charge slightly faster too. But the Pixel Watch two uses a different charging mechanism, so if you're upgrading from the first model, you won't be able to repurpose that charger. There's also a new Quad core processor for faster performance and the crown on the side of the watch feels smoother when scrolling link. Speaker 1: Overall, the Pixel Watch two checks a lot of the boxes. The first one didn't. It's better equipped to compete with Samsung, apple, and other smartwatch makers, but now that the Pixel Watch is inheriting so many [00:03:00] Fitbit features, it also makes me wonder about the future of Fitbit's product line. While all of these upgrades sound nice on paper, we'll have to test out the Pixel Watch two to know whether it lives up. So what do you think of the Pixel Watch two. Let me know in the comments and don't forget to follow CNET for more pixel coverage. Thanks for watching and I'll see you next time.