Pixel Watch 3 has Shorter Software Support than the Galaxy Watch
Google’s Pixel smartphones were the first to receive up to 7 years of software updates, but it’s a different case with the Pixel smartwatches, which will only get 3 years of major Wear OS updates. Despite it being the third generation Pixel smartwatch, this has not changed at all, giving the new Pixel Watch 3 a shorter update policy than its competitors.
Google unveiled the Pixel Watch 3 alongside the Pixel 9 (review), but the smartwatch will not arrive until next week. Ahead of the first shipment, we’re learning more details about the Pixel Watch 3, particularly the number of years it will be supported by the company.
How many years of software updates will the Google Pixel Watch 3 receive?
On the updated support page (h/t 9to5Google), the Pixel Watch 3 was confirmed to receive "guaranteed" Wear OS updates up to 2027, or 3 years from its launch. This includes Wear OS upgrades and security patches. So, if there are no changes in the Wear OS cycle, the Pixel Watch 3 will be updated to Wear OS 8 since it debuted with Wear OS 5, which is based on Android 14.
With a 3-year software support, this pales in comparison to what Samsung is offering with the Galaxy Watch 7 or Watch Ultra (review) and the previous Galaxy Watch models, which are all pledged to receive up to 4 years of updates. Even so, Apple’s smartwatches average between 4 to 5 years in the recent Watch Series and Watch Ultra models.
Google has not explained the reason for a shorter software policy, but it’s likely due to the hardware and how the Pixel watches were designed. As we know, the Pixel Watch 3 is not repairable even for a basic component replacement like the battery or display, which is similar to the Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Watch.
The Pixel Watch 3 also retained a similar Qualcomm SW5100 processor as last year's Pixel Watch 2 compared to the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra that run on a new and snappier Exynos W1000 processor. This could result in the Pixel Watch 3's chip getting outdated or slow earlier.
It's a stark contrast to the Google Pixel handsets that are supported by extended hardware and self-service repairs, easily prolonging their serviceability. This is then matched by a rich software policy, lasting up to 7 years.
As noted, the policy was only mentioned as a "guaranteed" support, so there's a possibility that Google would still provide extra software updates in the future.
What are your thoughts on the supposed 3-year software support for the Pixel Watch 3? Do you think this length is worth its high-end price? We want to hear your answers in the comments.
Via: 9to5Google Source: Google
There's no reasons why Google couldn't give 4 years of security updates regardless of the processor. My original Pixel Watch is still going strong after over 2 years use but will now get less a year's further support, after which who safe will it be to continue using Google Wallet on my watch?