Pixel Watch 4 adds curved display and satellite communication for $349

Google unveiled the Pixel Watch 4 at its Made by Google event, featuring a striking curved domed display beneath the signature teardrop glass design. The smartwatch maintains the same $349 starting price as its predecessor while delivering enhanced AI capabilities through Gemini integration, improved battery life, and upgraded internals including emergency satellite communication.

What you should know: The Pixel Watch 4’s most distinctive feature is its Actua 360 domed display that curves beneath the glass, creating better visibility at angles.

• The display offers 10% more active area and 15% smaller bezels compared to the Pixel Watch 3, with maximum brightness increased to 3,000 nits from 2,000 nits in the previous generation.
• Available in 41mm ($349) and 45mm ($399) sizes, with LTE versions costing an additional $100.
• Preorders are open now with shipments beginning October 9.

Key upgrades: Google equipped the watch with significantly improved internals and the first wearable chip to support emergency satellite communication.

• The new Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 processor with Cortex-M55 coprocessor replaces last year’s Qualcomm SW5100 and Cortex-M33 setup.
• Emergency satellite communication allows users to call for help even when hiking out of cellular range.
• The device maintains 32GB storage and 2GB memory, running the newer Wear OS 6.0.

AI integration: The Pixel Watch 4 becomes the second major smartwatch to feature built-in Gemini access, following Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8.

• Users can activate Gemini by raising their wrist to ask questions, send texts, and interact with Google Calendar, Google Home, and Google Maps.
• A personal AI health coach launching in preview this October will offer fitness and sleep advice to all Fitbit and Pixel Watch users.
• New AI activity recognition automatically classifies workouts even if users forget to start tracking manually.

Health and fitness features: Google expanded wellness capabilities with new exercise modes and improved sensors.

• Added pickleball and basketball exercise modes, plus real-time cycling metrics streaming to the Fitbit app for handlebar display use.
• Enhanced skin temperature sensor provides more accurate overnight health data, while dual-frequency GPS ensures precise location tracking in urban and forest environments.
• The watch retains all previous sensors including heart rate monitoring, ECG capability, blood oxygen saturation measurement, and stress tracking through skin conductance.

Battery improvements: Both watch sizes received battery capacity increases with extended promised runtime.

• The 41mm version increases from 306mAh to 325mAh, while the 45mm model jumps from 420mAh to 455mAh.
• Google promises 30 hours of battery life for the smaller version and 40 hours for the larger model, up from the previous 24-hour estimate.
• A redesigned upright charging stand displays time, battery percentage, and alarms while charging, with Google claiming 50% charge in just 15 minutes.

Competitive landscape: The Pixel Watch 4 enters a market where Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8 has set high standards for AI-powered wellness features.

• Samsung offers free AI-powered running and sleep coaching plus antioxidant testing, while Google’s advanced coaching features remain locked behind the $9.99 monthly Fitbit Premium service.
• Both watches provide Gemini access, but Google’s emergency satellite communication capability represents a unique advantage for outdoor enthusiasts.

Durability concerns: Despite aerospace-grade aluminum housing and Corning Gorilla Glass, the curved design raises questions about long-term resilience.

• The watch maintains IP68 rating and 164-foot water resistance matching the Pixel Watch 3.
• Unlike its predecessor, the Watch 4 is fully serviceable, allowing display or battery replacement if damage occurs.