Google’s Pixel Watch 5 is promising - but it isn’t finished

Key Points:

• The Google Pixel Watch 5 features minimal hardware changes from its predecessor, with most improvements focused on software, particularly new health features that are not yet available and expected to roll out next month.
• Key upcoming health functionalities include blood pressure and insulin resistance trends, nightly sleep breathing quality, strength training cues, and breathing emergency detection, the latter still awaiting FDA clearance in the US.
• Current software updates include Wear OS 7 with enhanced gesture controls, offline Gemini voice assistant capabilities, improved GPS accuracy outperforming some competitors, and AI-generated customizable watchfaces, though these are mostly incremental refinements.
• The watch maintains a battery life of about 36 to 40 hours, supports fast charging, and has a $50 price increase to $399.99 compared to last year; it remains a top choice for Android smartwatch users but is not a compelling upgrade for recent Pixel Watch owners.
• Users must agree to multiple terms and policies when setting up the device, including those related to the paired Android smartphone, health data usage, and third-party service integrations.