(*5*) The Pixel Watch has a lot going for it, but it looks like the new Wear OS device will lose out in the longevity department.
In a recent interview with Wired(opens in a new tab), (*5*) director of product management for Wear OS, Björn Kilburn, revealed that the Pixel Watch is about to receive three years of software updates; Samsung, on the other hand, plans to keep the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 for at least four years.
Three years of support is also one less than what Apple gave the Apple Watch 3, suggesting that newer variants like the Apple Watch 7 are also active for at least four years of ongoing maintenance.
Why, then, does (*5*)'s recently released Pixel Watch take a longevity hit against Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5, when both devices share the same Wear OS 3 platform?
The discrepancy is because (*5*) is no longer responsible for updating portable devices it doesn't make, which means Samsung is no longer subject to (*5*)'s relatively stingy update cycle.
Clearly, (*5*) is only willing to commit to three years of major OS updates for its in-house Pixel Watch, while Samsung - and, obviously, Apple - have the ability to keep their latest wearable for a period of longer time.
The news isn't all bad for new and future Pixel Watch owners, be warned. (*5*) has promised to roll out firmware updates for the Pixel Watch "just like mobile devices", and quarterly updates will also arrive to bring "new experiences" to users throughout the year, in between these annual updates more important.
Also, at the hardware level, our first impressions of the (*5*) Pixel Watch are good. During the limited time we spent playing with the device after launch, we were impressed with its sleek design, intuitive interface, and cutting-edge integration with Fitbit.
Whether (*5*)'s first foray into the wearable space has the in-house chops to truly challenge comparable devices from Samsung and Apple remains to be seen. We'll be posting a full Pixel Watch review soon, so keep an eye on TechRadar for that and more about the best smartwatches money can buy.