The Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic have remained the only smartwatches on the market to be powered by Wear OS, but this exclusivity won't last forever. Google is developing its first Wear OS 3 smartwatch, tentatively named the Google Pixel Watch, and according to a recent rumor, Samsung could be facing competition from Google from May 26 onward.
Wear OS 3 is the result of a joint effort from Google and Samsung. The latter company let go of Tizen OS in favor of the new Wear OS version, and Samsung has enjoyed exclusivity over the software since.
It's worth reminding that Wear OS 3 for the Galaxy Watch 4 series still has a proprietary UI — One UI — covering the default version. With that in mind, once Google releases the Pixel Watch, presumably on May 26 around Google I/O, it won't look and feel like the Galaxy Watch 4. The software experience, although similar at its core, will be different.
As for the exterior design, based on leaked information, the so-called Pixel Watch should have a round dial with no physical bezel. Early renders depict a very slick wearable device featuring a proprietary wrist strap in different color options.
Pricing details remain unknown, and as always, the launch price will be a huge factor in how the smartwatch will be received by the public, especially since Samsung already offers the best Android smartwatches starting at $249.
Keep in mind that Google's launch schedules are changeable and sometimes difficult to predict with pinpoint accuracy, meaning that the May 26 date isn't set in stone.
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