All signs point to Google working on the Pixel Watch for an upcoming release. Unfortunately, the ongoing chip shortage has just delayed it.
Rumors have pointed to 2021 being the year that Google finally releases its long-awaited Pixel Watch, but unfortunately, it looks like the fabled smartwatch might be arriving later than expected. Ever since the first Pixel smartphone launched in 2016, rumors of a Pixel Watch have popped up every now and then over the years. People speculate it’s finally coming out, Google announces its latest batch of hardware with no mention of the watch, and this cycle repeats itself over and over again.
Despite all of that, the past few months have strongly pointed to the Pixel Watch being a real thing. Leaker Jon Prosser shared renders of the Pixel Watch back in April after seeing leaked photos of it. Other sources have further corroborated the existence of the Pixel Watch, teasing things like multiple style options, robust fitness features, and more.
Unfortunately, the likelihood of the Pixel Watch launching soon just became a bit grimmer. On October 10, Max Weinbach Tweeted that the “Pixel Watch was likely delayed.” Weinbach goes on to say that he was recently told the smartwatch was coming “but could be delayed based on chip availability.” This is something that’s been seen repeatedly in the consumer tech space this year. The Pixel 5a launched only in the United States and Japan likely due to lacking availability of computer chips. There have also been considerable inventory shortages for GPUs, game consoles, and even the Apple Watch Series 7 that recently went up for pre-order. There’s a massive demand for chips, companies can’t manufacture them quickly enough, and it’s resulted in a chaotic few months.
What This Delay Means For The Pixel Watch
So, what does this delay really mean? While no one can say with 100 percent certainty, there are a couple of things to look forward to. One possibility is that Google doesn’t announce the Pixel Watch at all this year and waits until sometime in 2022 to do so. Announcing a product months/weeks before it’s actually available can often kill the initial hype surrounding it, and as such, holding off on the Pixel Watch’s unveiling may not be a bad idea.
Another possibility is that Google will still announce the Pixel Watch next week alongside the Pixel 6 and open sales at a later date. Google is promoting its October 19 event as the ‘Pixel Fall Launch’ — possibly suggesting the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro won’t be the only Pixels getting announced. Furthermore, since Google’s already confirmed a lot of details regarding the Pixel 6 lineup, having another gadget to talk about would help liven up the event.
Ultimately, it’s just a matter of waiting to see what happens. It’s pretty evident that the Pixel Watch is a real product. There have been leaked renders, features, and now an update that it’s been delayed. Whether or not Google talks about the Pixel Watch next week, don’t expect to actually buy one for a little while longer.
Source: Max Weinbach
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