According to reports, the Pixel Watch 4 could potentially continue using the same processor as its prior models.
## Pixel Watch 4: Modest Battery Improvements and Faster Charging
Google's latest smartwatch, the Pixel Watch 4, is set to hit the market with some exciting updates, particularly in the realm of battery performance and charging.
### Battery Life Enhancements
The Pixel Watch 4 is poised to retain the Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 chipset found in its predecessors, but with a twist—both the 41mm and 45mm versions will receive battery capacity increases. The 41mm model is expected to see a 7% boost (to approximately 327mAh) compared to its predecessor, while the 45mm variant is set for a 9% increase (to 459mAh).
Despite the same chipset, the combination of larger batteries and potential software (and co-processor) optimizations is anticipated to deliver modestly improved battery life. In real-world use, the Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 has already been shown to provide around 36 hours per charge.
With the always-on display (AoD) enabled, Google is expected to advertise up to 30 hours of battery life for the Pixel Watch 4, while the 45mm variant may gain an additional 10 hours—likely due to its larger battery and possibly improved efficiency from the new M55 co-processor, which is reported to offer up to 5x AI performance improvement with lower power draw.
Minor performance gains could also come from software tuning and the introduction of Wear OS 6, but the core hardware experience should remain similar to the Pixel Watch 3.
### Charging Speeds
Reports indicate that the Pixel Watch 4 will feature faster charging, although exact charging times have not yet been specified. There’s no concrete data on how much the charging speed has improved, but this, combined with the larger batteries, should help reduce downtime between charges.
## Key Takeaways
- Battery life improvements are modest but meaningful, especially on the larger 45mm model, thanks to a larger battery and potential efficiency gains from a new co-processor. - Charging is reportedly faster, but specifics are not yet available. - The core chipset remains unchanged, so most of the gains come from battery size, software, and ancillary hardware rather than a processor upgrade. - No major breakthrough in endurance—while battery life is better, it does not represent a generational leap (e.g., multi-day usage), as some had hoped for with newer Qualcomm chips.
In summary, expect the Pixel Watch 4 to offer slightly longer battery life and faster charging, but the fundamental experience will remain similar to recent models, with incremental rather than revolutionary improvements.
Furthermore, the Pixel Watch 4 will reportedly come in two sizes: the 41mm "meridian" and the 45mm "kenari", nods to Star Wars planets, marking a shift from Google's usual god-themed names. Both sizes might come in LTE and Wi-Fi-only versions, offering more flexibility to users.
The Pixel Watch 4, with its larger batteries and potential software optimizations, will likely offer modestly improved battery life compared to previous models, while faster charging speeds are anticipated to help reduce downtime between charges. In the realm of smart-home-devices and gadgets, the technology adoption in the Pixel Watch 4, including a new co-processor, demonstrates the ongoing advancement in wearable technology.
