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| Google Pixel Watch will launch in 2022 |
With the search giant pushing for wearable technology development once again, Google is working on a smartwatch that is expected to hit the market next year.
According to internal documents seen by Insider and several current and former employees, this device called Rohan is showing customers and partners the latest version of the Google Smart Watch operating system.
So far, Google has chosen to create a smartwatch operating system developed by partners such as Samsung. But it did not manufacture the equipment itself.
According to technical reports from Insider and the employees who have seen it, unlike the Apple smartwatch, the Google smartwatch is round and has no physical limits. Like the Apple Watch, it can record health and fitness values.
Luhan's business has accelerated this year. The company allows people outside the smartwatch team to test the device and provide feedback.
This watch is sometimes referred to internally as the Pixel Watch or Android Watch. But the executives used different names to refer to the project. Hence, it is not clear what brand the company will choose.
The late famous John Prosser (John Prosser) previously reported the existence of a smartwatch codenamed Rohan.
Google has ambitious plans for its wearable business. In January, the acquisition of Fitbit, valued at $2.1 billion, was completed.
Fitbit has announced that it wants to make devices powered by Google's operating system. However, Google currently has no plans to classify Rohan watches as Fitbit.
Rohan watches have a heart rate monitor and provide basic health monitoring functions such as step counting. In its current form, the watch must be charged daily.
One employee who tested the watch complained about slow loading. Like the Apple Watch, Google's wearables use their own straps.
Google revamped its wearable tech ambitions
An initial concept paper outlined the company's ambition to create a comfortable, wearable watch for at least 90% of people.
According to the document: Insufficient capacity will exclude some users from mobile devices. It is not clear if the company intends to offer smartwatches in multiple sizes.
At the meeting, executives told employees that they want to launch smartwatches next year.
Two employees said that if the latest round of testing is successful, a spring release will be possible. However, all sources indicated that details and times may change based on feedback from employees testing the devices.
Over the years, Google's smartwatch software has struggled. The search giant canceled its first brand watch before launching it on the market in 2016.
Instead, it focused on licensing smartwatch operating systems to tech companies like Huawei. Fashion brands such as Fossil and Michael Kors.
Google has made some changes over the past few months to combine Rohan's work with his tech ambitions in the wearables space.
The company has integrated the Fitbit group into its hardware and services area. He also recently merged the wearables team with the Fitbit lineup.
It's also committed to integrating Fitbit and Wear OS, codenamed Nightlight internally, and hopes to debut with Rohan.