Google is reportedly working on a rival to the Apple Watch.
According to a Business Insider report, Google is working on a Pixel-branded smartwatch as opposed to a Fitbit one, which many had speculated might happen after Google’s acquisition of Fitbit was finalized earlier this year.
That means the watch will likely be in a similar vein as Google’s Pixel smartphones, which serve as a showcase of what Google software is capable of for other Android phone makers.
While Google has been manufacturing smartphones independently since 2016 with the Pixel lineup, the company has never created a smartwatch. It’s unknown if the rumoured product will be called “Pixel Watch” though it’s still early to call.
The watch will feature basic fitness tracking elements like heart rate and step counting sensors, with a reported Fitbit integration with Google’s Wear OS software.
The watch is expected to have a higher price tag than a Fitbit, a source said, and is reportedly slated to launch in 2022. Google acquired Fitbit for $2.1 billion USD in January.
Google previously sold smartwatches under the LG brand. At the time, Rick Osterloh, Google’s senior vice president of devices and services, said they “didn’t look like what belonged in the Pixel family.”
