In my last review of the Pixel Watch 3, I expounded why 45mm was the perfect size for Google\u2019s smartwatch, and after the Pixel Watch 4 was announced, they sent me the 41mm instead. And guess what, I\u2019ve grown to love it. I wish they sent me the 45mm as well to compare, and I\u2019m very sure my own personal preference remains with the larger watch, but the 41mm experience for the Pixel Watch 4 has been fantastic.<\/p>\n
And all this is due to the new\u00a0Actua 360\u00a0<\/b>display. Yes, the Pixel Watch 4 has a\u00a010% larger screen<\/b>,\u00a015% smaller bezels<\/b>, and is\u00a050% brighter at 3,000 nits<\/b>\u00a0(up from 2,000 nits from the Pixel Watch 3). However, these improvements are par the course and what I\u2019ve come to expect as part of generational specification bumps. What makes the Pixel Watch 4 enticing is that the display itself is curved \u2013 not just the glass dome. This gives it a sort of fisheye lens or bubble-like effect that is aesthetically pleasing and makes the screen look larger than it actually is. Text feels easier to read and images pop out from every angle. This singular change makes the Pixel Watch 4 come alive on your wrist.\u00a0<\/p>\n Pixel Watch 4\u2019s Actua 360 display makes the 41mm display look larger.<\/p>\n Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n When the screen isn\u2019t on, the Pixel Watch 4 looks no different from the past generation Pixel Watches. Google has stuck to the same design, dimensions and controls. Basically, if you\u2019ve used one Pixel Watch, you\u2019ve used them all. Of course, with the Pixel Watch 4 comes the new Wear OS 6<\/b>. The main upgrades this time around is more seamless Gemini integration. The exclusive feature is Raise to Wake, which will immediately take you to Gemini. Google wants users to make Gemini the default way for customers to interact with the Pixel Watch. Furthermore, it\u2019s using Gemini so that it\u2019ll work as a proper conversational AI agent, rather than just giving simple commands as was the case with Google Assistant.<\/p>\n When the display is off, the Pixel Watch 4 looks just like its predecessors.<\/p>\n Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n A slight hint of difference is the side where the new charging pogo pins are.<\/p>\n Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n To this end, even the speakers have been optimised for better voice replies. Personally, I\u2019m not fond of using Gemini, because my mind often turns blank when I\u2019m trying to use voice commands. Even so, there\u2019s a long pause between speaking and getting a response from Gemini that feels too long for comfort. But that\u2019s just me, and your mileage may certainly vary.<\/p>\n Take note that if you\u2019re running any other Android device, you will have to download both the Gemini app and Google apps on your phone and make sure that Google is set as the default assistant in your device\u2019s settings. Only then will you see Gemini appear on the Pixel Watch 4. Otherwise, it will default to Google Assistant. Users of the Pixel Watch 3 who have gotten the Wear OS 6 update would also have access to Gemini in the same way, but not the Raise to Wake function.<\/p>\n Enable Gemini on the Pixel Watch 4 by downloading the Gemeni app on your Android device and making it the default assistan.<\/p>\n Screenshot: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n If done correctly, you should see a notice on your watch and the Google Assistant logo replaced by Gemini automatically.<\/p>\n Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Along with Gemini is a host of AI-related updates in terms of algorithms and sensors<\/b>. New sports recognition, activity and sleep tracking algorithms are said to be improved and\/or AI-powered, but it\u2019s really hard to tell on a day-to-day basis if anything has really changed. Sleep, for example, will still give you the standard multi-stage readings that are common to almost all devices these days. GPS has finally been upgraded to dual-band, putting the Pixel Watch 4 on par with the rest of the competition now. Again, Google mentions that machine learning is applied to make it even more precise, but I\u2019ll take most AI\/ML claims with a pinch of salt, since you\u2019ll never really know.<\/p>\n All other tracking functionality integrated into Fitbit remains the same, and every year, I will keep reminding you that you only get 6 months of Fitbit Premium, after which you will lose some of the advanced stats tracking. As long as you\u2019re alright with this, then I will not continue to beat this dead horse further. I will, however, mention that there is supposed to be a brand Fitbit overhaul coming in the future, which I have not been privy to test, so I have nothing to add as yet.<\/p>\n Google continues to strengthen the safety and security features of the Pixel Watch. In addition to the past emergency functions, fall detection, and accident detection, comes emergency satellite SOS<\/b>. While this feature is designed to work where no cellular connection is available, note that this feature is only available on the LTE version of the Pixel Watch 4. <\/p>\n Increasing number of safety and emergency features come to the Pixel Watch 4, including satellite SOS, but only on the LTE version.<\/p>\n Screenshot: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n With Wear OS 6 and the continued focus on AI-enhanced functions, the Pixel Watch 4 comes with a newer Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 chipset<\/b> with a Cortex-M55 co-processor. Memory (2GB) and storage (32GB) remain the same, but the battery has been bumped up slightly from 307\/420 mAh on the Pixel Watch 3 to 325\/455 mAh in the Pixel Watch 4 for the 41\/45mm variants, respectively. Along with the larger battery also comes a new side-loading magnetic charging dock. The good news is that this is a fast charger and will give you 50% battery in just 15 minutes. Sideways docking also feels more secure and turns the Pixel Watch 4 into a usable table clock when docked. I like this change.<\/p>\n The Pixel Watch 4 comes with a side-docking fast charger.<\/p>\n Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Since I only have the 41mm version, I don\u2019t really feel that battery life on the Pixel Watch 4 has improved in any meaningful way. I still have to charge every 2 days, but the fast charger makes this less of a chore than before.<\/p>\n All in all, the Google Pixel Watch 4 is an incremental update, with the biggest impact being the new Actua 360 display. While the actual hardware, sensors, and usage experience remain incremental, the Pixel Watch 4 finally has its unique feature: Gemini. If you\u2019d like to jump headfirst into the AI era and start talking to all your devices, then the Pixel Watch 4 is an excellent place to start. <\/p>\n Google Pixel Watch 4, 41mm, LTE<\/p>\n Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The Google Pixel Watch 4 starts from\u00a0S$529\u00a0for the 41mm model<\/b> (Wi-Fi), and from\u00a0S$599\u00a0for the 45mm model (Wi-Fi)<\/b>. The watches are available now on Amazon, Lazada, Shopee, and the Google Online Store. Hopefully, other software features will be updated by then, including the new Fitbit experience.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nAvailability and pricing<\/h2>\n