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Reddit is revamping search and making a key feature of its app more accessible. The company announced a series of updates it says makes search faster and easier across its app and mobile site.

The changes include a new “media” tab in search and within individual subreddits so users can more easily browse images, video clips, and GIFs. Additionally, search results in Reddit’s app and website are getting a simpler, cleaner look. 

Reddit is also making search easier for people using the mobile version of its site who aren’t logged in. Now, logged out searches will have more filters, as well as separate tabs for comments and posts. And mobile web searches are 85 percent faster overall, according to the company.

There are also search improvements specifically for Redditors who rely on screen readers. “The posts and comments tabs on the search result page are now screen reader compatible on native mobile apps,” Reddit explains in a blog post. “We’re adding labels, roles/traits, values, and states to all elements on these pages to help redditors discover content and take action. If a redditor uses a screen reader, they can hear the actions available and the results returned on these tabs.”

That change could help the company address some of the long-running accessibility complaints about its app. Members of r/blind were some of the most vocal opponents to the company’s API crackdown, which resulted in the shuttering of many third-party apps. The company later said that it would exempt some accessibility-focused apps from its API fees, but the moderators of r/blind have said the concession isn’t enough, and that the company has “made it impossible for blind Redditors to moderate their own sub.” While Reddit’s latest updates don’t address blind users’ complaints about its moderation tools, the changes could still be a significant improvement for people who browse the app with screen readers.

Another Pixel phone, another Tensor system-on-a-chip from Google. That's basically where we're at this year: The search giant officially announced the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro today, and unsurprisingly they're sporting a new Tensor G3 SoC. The Tensor hardware made a big splash when it arrived with the Pixel 6, and now the company appears to be focusing on AI performance even more. Google claims the largest machine learning model on the Pixel 8 is ten times more complex than what was on the Pixel 6, a testament both to Google's engineering capabilities and how much tech companies are racing to become AI leaders.

The Tensor G3 chip is faster than the G2, as you'd expect, but honestly that's never been the highlight of Google's SoCs. What's more important are the new features it'll deliver. This year, that includes better Call Screen functionality for weeding out spam calls. Google also claims that Tensor G3 will enable better audio and video quality, especially for the Pixel's Clear Calling feature. You can also use the "Audio Magic Eraser" to remove annoying sounds from your videos, similar to the way the original Magic Eraser feature can clean up the backgrounds of photos.  

Google hasn't revealed many technical details behind the Tensor G3 yet, but according to a recent benchmark leak, it's built around a 9-core CPU with a Cortex-X3 core running at 2.91GHz. (That Arm core is also found in the recent Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, so Google is in good company.) The G3 also features 12GB of RAM and a Mali-G715 GPU. It should be far more efficient than the Tensor G2 as well, since it's built on Samsung's newer 4nm process.

Developing...

Follow all of the news live from Google’s 2023 Pixel event right here.

Google has committed to providing seven full years of software support for it's Pixel phones, the company announced Wednesday during its Made by Google event. That might not be all that exciting to shoppers, at least compared to new hardware or OS features, but it puts Google well ahead of the competition — and may ultimately be a boon for both consumers and the environment.

Previously, Google's policy on updates to support its phones was five years (at least for the Pixel 6 and later), which in itself was nothing to scoff at. Not only will an extra two years potentially save consumers from shelling out for a brand new handset, but it may save some aging Pixels from ending up in a landfill quite as quickly. An estimated five billion phones were tossed in the trash in 2022 alone, potentially leading to toxic chemicals leeching into groundwater, among other associated hazards. It's impossible to say how many consumers will take full advantage of the increased shelf life of their Pixels, either because they're itching for a new-and-better model, or because (like most smartphones these days) repairability still leaves something to be desired.

Regardless, Google is obviously stepping in the right direction, and hopefully putting pressure on some of its competitors too. Apple has not made a hard commitment to lengthening its software support, but its phones typically see five to six years of updates. On the Android side of things, support can be significantly more grim: an exhaustive list of manufacturer update policies by Android Authority revealed that most brands only offer about two years of support, with many refusing to commit to any length of time, period. One of the few exceptions is Samsung, which in February of 2022 announced it would provide four generations of Android updates and five years of security patches to many of its models.

Follow all of the news live from Google’s 2023 Pixel event right here.

On Wednesday at its annual hardware event, Google announced its next flagship phone: the Pixel 8 Pro. Starting at $999, it costs $100 more than its predecessor, so to make up for that increased price Google added a number of enhanced photo and video features, a new temperature sensor and seven years of software support.

Available in three colors (Bay, Porcelain and Obsidian), the Pixel 8 Pro sports a very similar design to last year's model with a large camera bar in back and polished metal sides. That said, Google has made some smaller changes like a new matte texture on the phone's Gorilla Glass Victus 2 rear panel and a flatter display with less rounded edges. And just like before, the phone packs an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance so it can withstand submersions of up to 5.5 feet for 30 minutes. 

Google

The Pixel 8 Pro comes with a 6.7-inch Super Actua display based on an LTPO OLED panel with a 120Hz variable refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2,400 nits. Google says its Super Actua branding is meant to call attention to the screen's colors and tuning, which have been engineered to be as accurate and realistic as possible. And unlike the standard Pixel 8, the Pro also has a new 10.5-MP selfie camera with dual phase detection autofocus. Additionally, Google claims the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro's face unlock employs a new algorithm alongside upgraded hardware to provide more precise facial recognition. 

However, between its upgraded sensors (50-MP main, 48-MP ultra-wide and 48-MP telephoto with a 5x optical zoom) and a range of improved photo and video features, the Pixel 8 Pro's cameras are making the biggest leap. For the first time on a Pixel phone, users will be able to use Google's Night Sight Mode when recording videos. Meanwhile, the new Best Take feature makes it possible to choose the best reactions among a series of images so that every person in the shot is smiling. Also, by leveraging AI the Pixel's Magic Editor can better tweak things like lighting, the framing of a photo and more, while the new Audio Magic Eraser tool gives you the ability to remove distracting sounds and noise in your clips.

Google

But perhaps the biggest upgrade for photo enthusiasts is the addition of pro camera controls so you can adjust settings like shutter speed, ISO, white balance and more. There are even options for capturing images using the sensor's full 50 megapixels in either JPEG, RAW or RAW+JPEG modes. If you need even more help making clips look good, the new Video Boost feature can send recordings to the cloud so that Google's servers can apply more powerful computational algorithms to your footage. That said, it's important to note that this process can take multiple hours.

On the inside, the Pixel 8 Pro is powered by Google's Tensor G3 chip along with 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. Google claims the G3's improved performance helps support new abilities like enhanced spam filtering for the Pixel's Call Screener feature, Audio Magic Eraser and better image processing. In everyday situations, Google also is trying to improve the Pixel 8's ease of use with new software like the ability to read websites aloud while translating them, a proofreading tool in Gboard, Assistant voice typing in multiple languages and a magnifier app for increased accessibility. 

Google

Finally, the more expensive Pixel 8 Pro is the only one with a temperature sensor located in the camera bar. Initially, you can use it to measure how hot or cold a nearby object is. However, Google says it's in talks with the FDA so that in the future you'll also be able use it as a thermometer for people. And just like the standard Pixel 8, Google is upping the length of the Pixel 8 Pro's software support (which includes both regular security patches and Android updates) to seven years. This is poised to be the longest commitment for any Android smartphone aside from the Fairphone 5. 

The Pixel 8 Pro starts at $999 and goes on sale October 12.

Follow all of the news live from Google’s 2023 Pixel event right here.

Google's new Pixel 8 comes with upgrades to all the major smartphone specs this year, but in a slightly smaller package. The 6.2-inch screen is smaller than the display found on the Pixel 7 (which was smaller than the Pixel 6 before that). However, the newest Pixel has the same 1,080 x 2,400 resolution. Google's Actua OLED technology promises vivid color and details, at up to 1400 nits of brightness. That's 40 percent brighter than last year's Google flagship.

Last year's Pixel 7 had a 90Hz screen, while Pixel 8 has a dynamic display with 60-120Hz refresh rates. Alongside a smaller display, this year's Pixel 8 comes with a larger battery (minimum 4,485mAh), which together, should lead to improved battery life. It'll also pack fast charging, which can top-up up to 50% charge in around 30 minutes.

The look of the hardware hasn't hugely changed. There's still the blocky camera bar, but the edges and lines have been softened a little, with a polished glass back. Last year's Pixel 7 had a matte finish, while the Pixel 7 Pro had a shiny look. This year, that's been swapped. The front and back of the device will have some defense from scratches and cracks with Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus.

The major upgrades come to the rear camera, however. The Pixel 8 has the same primary sensor as the Pixel 8 Pro, with an upgraded 50-megapixel octa PD camera, with f/1.68 aperture. It'll be capable of 2x optical zoom, as well as Google's Super Res Zoom (digital zoom) up to 8x. The Pixel 8's ultrawide camera will have built-in lens correction, as ultrawide cameras can often distort and stretch images at the edges, and Google claims that you'll see faster autofocus across the whole camera experience, especially in low light. Those cameras will be bolstered by Google's best smartphone talent, camera software features. This includes the Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, Night Sight, Top Shot and more. 

Google's new Tensor G3 should speed up those tools. Google claims the machine learning model on Pixel 8 is 10X more complex than Pixel 6's Tensor chip. The new silicon will also help power features like Call Screen and Audio Magic Eraser, which can be used to erase distracting sounds from your videos.

The Pixel 8 will come in three color options: Obsidian (black), Rose (a soft pink) and Hazel (a light green), with prices starting at $699. It will go on sale on October 12.

Check out our early impressions on both of the new Pixels right here.

Follow all of the news live from Google’s 2023 Pixel event right here.

After teasing us for weeks with trailers showing off the Pixel 8 series, Google is now ready to give us all the details about its latest flagships. The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro look largely the same as their predecessors, with a couple of key differences. The regular Pixel 8 is slightly smaller, which makes it easier to use with one hand. Meanwhile, the Pro model has a new matte finish, upgraded cameras and an intriguing temperature sensor.

Across the Pixel 8 series, we’re also getting the company’s Tensor G3 processor, Assistant improvements and, notably, seven whole years of Android and security updates. So, you might actually be able to hang on to your Pixel flagship for a lot longer than before. Now we’ll just have to wait and see if the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro do enough for you to want to keep them around for years to come.

It’s worth noting up front that, though it’s smaller than before, the standard Pixel 8 starts at $699, which is $100 more than its predecessor. That seems a little counterintuitive, but the slightly smaller display actually refreshes at up to 120Hz now, which is better than the 90Hz last year. Meanwhile, the Pixel 8 Pro costs the same $899 as the Pixel 7 Pro did, and you can find a slew of pre-order offers from Google and most carriers to sweeten the deal.

A potentially useful temperature sensor

Of all the changes coming to Google’s flagships, I’m most intrigued by the new temperature sensor on the Pixel 8 Pro. I know, I know. It might seem like a gimmick and I hardly ever use a thermometer in my daily life anyway. But in the stale, tired land of smartphones, it’s a novelty and that also tells me Google is at least trying something new.

The temperature sensor sits below the flash on the Pixel 8 Pro’s camera bar (and to be clear the regular Pixel 8 does not have this). To take a reading, you’ll have to launch the new Temperature app and select the type of object you’re trying to measure. You can choose from “food and organic,” “cast iron,” “plastic and rubber,” “fabric” and more.

For now, Google is waiting on FDA approval to enable the Pixel 8 Pro to take body temperature readings. But nothing is really stopping you from selecting the generic “default” option and pointing the infrared sensor at your forehead. Just know that it’s not the advertised application and that the reading might not be 100-percent accurate.

With the existing app and algorithms, though, you can check the temperature of bath water before putting your child in it or make sure your cast iron pan is hot enough before sticking your steak in it. There are plenty of ways to use the sensor, but most of us have survived this long without carrying a thermometer everywhere, I’m not sure we will suddenly start relying on it. And it’s entirely possible this feature goes the way of the Soli radar that Google introduced on the Pixel 4 (and retired on the Pixel 5).

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Still, at least based on my few attempts at using the Pixel 8 Pro to scan things, the system appears to work. I stuck the sensor within an inch or two of iced water and warm coffee, and within 5 centimeters or 2 inches is recommended for best results (A Google rep cautioned against using the sensor on anything that has steam coming out of it). It took barely a second for the measurements to appear on the app, and the results all seemed accurate. The coffee, which had been sitting out for a while, generally registered at around 97.2 degrees Fahrenheit across my multiple readings, while the iced water came in at 37.4 degrees Fahrenheit. I’ll have to spend more time with a review unit in the real world to know just how much I’ll use this, and whether it’ll affect battery performance.

The Assistant gets better with generative AI

The temperature sensor might be useful in specific scenarios, but the bulk of the updates for the Pixel 8 series is in the Assistant. With generative AI being all the rage this year, it’s no surprise that Google is integrating those capabilities in its phones. On the Pixel 8s, you’ll be able to ask the Assistant to summarize, read aloud and translate articles and web pages. I opened up my iPhone 15 Pro Max hands-on on Engadget.com, long pressed the power button to bring up the Assistant and told it to “Summarize this page.”

The Assistant said “The author reviews the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which has a new zoom lens and a new Action button.” It goes on to explain, in two subsequent bullet points, that my article had said that the Action button is programmable and that the device “has a titanium body and a FineWoven case that is meant to replace leather.”

My inner editor would tweak some of the language there, but the Assistant generally did a good job summarizing my piece. At the bottom, Google asks for feedback on the summary and suggests some follow-up actions with buttons like “About iPhones,” “Who invented the iPhone” and more. If you’ve spent any time playing with chatbots like Bard or Bing AI, this will all feel very familiar.

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget

I didn’t actually have to use my voice to ask for a breakdown of my article, by the way. After bringing up the Assistant, the system offers suggested actions like “Summarize,” “Read aloud” “Translate” and “Search screen.” If you want to keep your attention on crossing the road or don’t have time to scan an entire review, the new read aloud tool can be very helpful. I particularly like that when you ask the Assistant to read something out, a box appears with controls for playback speed, skipping ahead or back 10 seconds, as well as a progress bar that you can drag.

At the bottom right of the playback box is a little translate icon — you can not only ask the Assistant to convert articles in foreign languages into one you understand, but it can also read aloud in a supported language, too. I asked for my review to be translated to and read aloud in Mandarin, and the Pixel 8 Pro did so accurately and almost immediately.

One of my favorite features on Pixel phones is Call Screening, which lets you tap the Assistant to figure out who is ringing you and why. With updates coming to the Pixel 8 line, the artificial voice will sound more natural, adding some pauses and nonverbal utterances to seem more human. We saw examples of this when Google first announced Duplex, and while most of us were nervous about the implications of AI that could sound much more human, there are potential advantages here. Most notably, callers are probably less likely to hang up if they think they’re talking to a real person, and you’ll have an easier time asking them questions without picking up the phone.

Photo by Brian Oh / Engadget

The Assistant can also understand if someone is calling about a package, and will suggest more follow-ups like “Leave by front door” and “I’ll be right there.” During a rehearsed demo with Google’s executives, this worked very well. But when I tried later by masquerading as a delivery person looking for a signature, the Assistant failed to bring up a relevant prompt. I wouldn’t be surprised if the company improves this further over time, and frankly its Call Screening is still better than Apple’s Live Voicemail, which was just released in iOS 17. Google’s implementation allows for greater flexibility and interaction, making it more helpful.

Another one of my favorite Pixel-first tools is the Recorder app, and soon it will be able to provide summaries of your transcripts. If you use Recorder for loads of meetings and interviews, this may help you more quickly identify the chat you were looking for. Based on the demo I saw, it doesn’t provide very detailed recaps, instead offering incredibly high-level bullet points. Reporters like myself will probably still need to spend a lot of time picking out noteworthy quotes.

The Assistant is also supposed to get better at understanding your comments even if you trip up or say things like “uhm” or “er” while talking to it. In my brief experience so far, the system did understand me in spite of some pauses and “uhms,” though I’m not sure if I would ever unlearn the habit of talking very precisely to the Assistant.

Cameras

I’ve long held that Pixel phones have the best smartphone cameras, but with companies like Apple and Samsung making great strides in their flagships recently, Google’s lead is shrinking. The company was late to shift to multi-sensor setups, relying heavily on its software prowess to make up for lacking hardware in the past. In recent generations, we’ve seen a more balanced approach, with Google introducing slightly sharper cameras, while continuing to update its algorithms to boost clarity and color.

With the Pixel 8 series, we’re seeing more of this two-pronged strategy. The Pixel 8 Pro is getting a sharper 48-megapixel ultrawide camera while the telephoto system’s 48MP sensor is using a lens with an improved f/2.8 aperture but (slightly) wider field of view than last year. Its primary camera has the same 50MP setup as before, though Google says its f/1.68 lens has “2X optical quality” compared to last year’s f/1.85 glass. Meanwhile, the standard Pixel 8’s main camera is the same as the 8 Pro’s, which is slightly better than the Pixel 7’s. Its one other rear sensor is also pretty much identical to the last generation’s.

The hardware might be a small upgrade, but the more significant change lies in the software. Google has redesigned its camera app to make manual controls easier to reach. With the new layout, there are two buttons at the bottom that let you switch between photo and video capture. That’s a little more organized, given that Pixels offer different modes like Action for adding motion blur to your shots.

This redesign also enabled Google to throw in a Pro mode, giving you manual control over settings labeled as brightness, shadow, white balance, as well as capturing stills at the full resolution of 50 megapixels. You’ll have to go into settings to switch on Manual mode, and doing so will turn off the auto lens switching feature.

Photo by Brian Oh / Engadget

I discovered this because I was using the Pixel 8 Pro to get super up close with a flower at the demo space, so I could check out the improved Macro focus. But because I had activated Manual mode, the lens wasn’t changing on its own when I pushed the device into the petals. With its sharper ultrawide sensor, the Pixel 8 Pro can get even closer to subjects and still keep focus. This year’s Pro model will work up to 2 centimeters away, while the standard Pixel 8 gets macro support for the first time and has the same capability as the Pixel 7 Pro. That means it can get as close as 3cm.

I didn’t break out a ruler to see how far away the cameras were from the flowers I was shooting, but I was impressed by how much detail the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro managed to capture. I’d have to pit Google’s flagships against Apple’s and Samsung’s in the real world to say if it’s better than the competition, but at least from my hands-on, it seemed effective and fast.

I also checked out the Pixel 8 Pro’s 5x telephoto system by zooming into items at a breakfast buffet about 15 feet away, and was able to read words on the cards identifying the types of milk available. Again, I can’t say how well this compares to Samsung’s Space Zoom or the iPhone 15 Pro Max yet.

Some of the biggest improvements to the Pixel 8’s cameras are in video recording and processing. The main new feature is Video Boost, which will upload your clips to the cloud for enhancement using Google’s more-powerful processors. These include applying HDR+, enhanced color grading and, for the first time, Night Sight Video. In a sample Google showed me, a scene of someone seemingly kicking a ball into a net by themselves in the dark looked so much brighter after Video Boost that I was able to see that there was a second person in the shot.

I’m a bit skeptical about this feature, because it requires you to send a file to Google’s servers and it’s not clear how long it will take for the results to come back. The company said it could be a few hours or longer, depending on the length of the video. It’s also coming later this year and won’t be available at launch, so there’s still some time before we can check it out for ourselves.

Photo by Brian Oh / Engadget

I’m more intrigued, however, by what Google is calling “Audio Magic Eraser.” Just as the Magic Eraser for images can remove photobombers in the background, this new tool can reduce background noise in your videos. I was shown a sample video of a street performer playing on an instrument and a siren blaring by, overpowering the music. After Audio Magic Eraser was applied, the sound of the passing vehicle was noticeably reduced. Though it was not completely eliminated, it was definitely less distracting.

There are plenty of other new features coming to the Pixel 8 series, including an improved Best Take that lets you pick your favorite shot of each person in a group photo. Magic Editor, which was introduced at Google I/O this year, will also be available when the new flagships launch. Finally, the Pixel 8 Pro’s 10.5MP selfie camera is getting autofocus, while the regular Pixel 8 also has a 10.5MP selfie sensor but with fixed focus.

Face unlock, displays and other updates

In addition to cameras, Assistant and the temperature sensor, there are some updates across the Pixel 8 series worth mentioning. Face Unlock, for example, has now been deemed to meet the company’s internal security standards, and can therefore be used in more areas like authenticating mobile payments or logging into apps. That’s in part enabled by the Tensor G3 chip in both phones, which also powers things like Audio Magic Eraser, filtering out more spam calls and more. We don’t know very much else about Tensor G3 at the moment, though.

Photo by Brian Oh / Engadget

Google is also introducing a new name for the displays it uses on the Pixels — Actua on the smaller handset and Super Actua on the Pro. Think of it as Retina and Super Retina on Apple devices, but Google. The names don’t really mean anything other than that the company is using its own software and processing to make things look brighter and sharper.

We’re at a point with smartphone displays where most human beings can’t tell the difference between a Super Retina and a Super Actua display, as long as they’re playing the same content at the same brightness. What’s worth noting is that the Pixel 8 now has a 6.2-inch screen and refreshes at 120Hz, while the Pixel 8 Pro maintains the same 6.7-inch size with an ever so slightly wider aspect ratio of 20:9 (compared to last year’s 19.5:9). The Pros also have a matte finish this time, and come in Bay (a pastel blue), Porcelain (white) and Obsidian (black) while the smaller handset is available in Rose (a light peach) in addition to the black and white options.

For things like battery life, performance, how slippery the phone is and how hot it runs, we’ll need to use the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro in the real world before we have a verdict. Stay tuned for our full review to get all those details.

Follow all of the news live from Google’s 2023 Pixel event right here.

The day many Android users have been waiting for is finally here. Google is rolling out the public build of Android 14. As ever, Pixel users will be able to download the new version of the operating system first on supported models (Pixel 4a and newer). Compatible Samsung Galaxy, iQOO, Nothing, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Sharp, Sony, Tecno, vivo and Xiaomi devices will gain access to Android 14 later this year.

Deeper customization is a major focus this time around. You'll be able to choose from a variety of lock screen templates. There's the option to add new clocks and shortcuts (such as the QR reader or the Google Home app) to the lock screen for swift access. Switching between wallpapers should be easier too.

You'll have more ways to customize your wallpaper thanks to the addition of generative AI capabilities. Select a text prompt and the AI will whip up a related image for you (this feature is coming to Pixel 8/Pixel 8 Pro first). Google is also rolling out support for Ultra HDR images and a monochromatic theme.

There are welcome updates on the accessibility front. New features include non-linear font size scaling to make certain sections of text easier to read. There's a Quick Setting tile for font sizing too. Google says it has improved the magnification options and made them more intuitive thanks to the addition of things like a pinch-to-zoom function you can enable only for specific apps. As for hearing accessibility updates, the company says it added hearing aids improvements and introduced flash notifications that light up your device's screen or camera LED when there's an alert for you to check out.

Google aims to give you more control over your data and security in Android 14 as well. Health Connect is now baked into the OS settings to help you manage privacy aspects of health, fitness and wellness apps. Google says such data is encrypted on your device. After you install Android 14, you should find it easier to understand how your data is being used by apps that request access to it, thanks to data sharing updates.

Follow all of the news live from Google’s 2023 Pixel event right here.

When Google debuted the Pixel Watch last year, hopes were high that it would be a real rival for the Apple Watch. But, due to subpar battery life and some friction around integrating Fitbit’s health-tracking features, the company failed to deliver a truly satisfying contender. The hype for the Pixel Watch 2 is significantly less than for its predecessor, and Google needs to convince us it adds enough to justify an upgrade.

From the outside, the Pixel Watch 2 brings a fairly modest set of updates, but it offers some compelling new features that could make it one of the best health and wellness-tracking wearables around. At a starting price of $350, the Pixel Watch 2 sits between the $300 Galaxy Watch 6 and the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, as well as the Apple Watch Series 9, which both cost $400. It offers a multi-path heart rate monitor and introduces body-response and skin temperature sensors, along with new apps and personal safety features that both help set it apart from and catch up to the competition.

Most of the changes coming to the new Pixel Watch aren’t things I could easily test at a brief hands-on session, like the new body response tracking tools or how much more accurate the multi-path heart rate sensor is. I also couldn’t tell you whether the added Safety Check feature will give me peace of mind when venturing to strange places on my own.

What I was quickly able to confirm was that, on the surface, the new Pixel Watch is just as attractive as before. The domed glass and round face look just as smooth, and Google says it’s made the case a whopping 5 grams lighter, while the glass covering the screen is a bit thinner. The company also says its recycled aluminum housing makes the haptic feedback on the rotating crown feel a bit more noticeable (even though the vibrating motor is the same).

That decrease in weight should make the new Watch more comfortable to wear, especially if you plan to keep it on in bed. I barely noticed it was lighter when I tried one on, but I assume most people would have trouble detecting a mere 5-gram difference.

More importantly, Google said it redesigned the back housing to contain the three new sensors and help maintain contact with your skin. This will also keep the heart rate reader in place during vigorous activities for more consistent measurements. Usually when I hear about this sort of watch case design, I worry about it being uncomfortably snug, but the Pixel Watch 2 I tried on felt pleasant enough. Like I did last year, I love Google’s woven loop band, which is as easy to wear on my wrist as a scrunchie.

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Speaking of, the company is also rolling out new accessories, including a lighter perforated sports band and a narrow strap of metallic links. Swapping these out is still fairly easy using Google’s proprietary push-and-click mechanism, which it’s previously described as similar to switching out lenses on a DSLR. There are also new watch faces which are similar to the ones we saw Apple launch on its smartwatches this year, that place information at the farthest edges of the screen, as if they were right on the bezels.

The Pixel Watch 2 is still only available in one size (41mm) and its AMOLED screen has the same 320 ppi pixel density as its predecessor. It even goes up to the same 1,000 nits of brightness, though Google has tweaked the font size and color scheme in things like the workout app to make them easier to read. I haven’t had any trouble seeing my activity stats on the Pixel Watch, and the 41mm size sits nicely on my relatively small wrist. But I imagine there are people who might prefer a larger screen.

Animations also look smoother, according to the company, thanks to the Pixel Watch 2’s quad-core Snapdragon Wear 5100 processor. Not only does it have more cores than the Exynos 9110 in the original watch, the new chip uses a 4nm design compared to the Exynos’ 10nm process. That means it’ll be more power efficient, and together with its slightly larger 306mAh battery (up from 294mAh on the previous model), we should be getting longer runtimes.

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget

But, because the Pixel Watch 2 comes with its always on display (AOD) enabled by default, battery life is listed as the same 24 hours as last year, when the number was given without the AOD on. I expect if you disable the AOD, you might get a few more hours, but that’s not something I can confirm without testing the device out myself. Google also implemented a new contact charging design on the underside that it says can help you get 12 hours of juice after plugging in for 30 minutes, while getting fully charged should take 75 minutes. Unfortunately, there's no wireless charging, which seems like a real oversight.

Along with the updated contact charging is a slew of sensors. The body response sensor, which is a continuous electrodermal activity (cEDA) monitor, looks for microscopic beads of sweat. Using data from that and the skin temperature sensor, as well as your pulse and heart rate variability, the Pixel Watch 2 will guess when you’re feeling stressed and suggest you log your emotions and try a guided meditation or go on a walk.

This is far from the first time Google (or, more accurately, Fitbit) has offered similar stress management features, since it rolled out an EDA sensor on its Sense smartwatch in 2020. But while the company may have had a few years of experience tracking this metric, it still isn’t an exact science. I didn’t wear the demo unit long enough for it to say I felt stressed (even though you better believe I was), so I couldn’t check out its suggested actions. But I’d be curious to see what sorts of patterns I would glean from wearing this in the real world over time.

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget

I’m also keen to put the new heart rate sensor to the test at my daily HIIT workouts, but I’m actually most excited about something that should have been on the Pixel Watch from the start: automatic workout start and stop reminders. One of my complaints about last year’s model was the lack of alerts if you’ve been active for a while. In fact, I’ll just quote my review here:

With the Pixel Watch 2, you should be nudged after you’ve been doing one of seven common workouts for a while. They include running, outdoor cycling, spinning, walking and rowing. Importantly, you’ll also be prompted to end a session after you’ve stopped doing one of those things for some time.

For outdoor runners in particular, the new pace coaching feature should be helpful. Meanwhile, those looking to hit and maintain specific heart rate zones will appreciate the ability to set target numbers and get haptic and voice alerts to help stay within range. Though I did get on a treadmill after putting on a Pixel Watch 2, I didn’t work out long enough to trigger the automatic start.

Something else I would prefer to evaluate outside of the demo space was the new Safety Check feature. It joins fall detection and emergency SOS as part of Google’s suite of personal safety tools, and is quite similar to what Apple offers in watchOS and iOS. Specifically, the Pixel Watch 2’s Safety Check reminds me a lot of Check In in iOS 17. The latter has you start a session with a friend or loved one in Messages, and end it when you arrive home with your phone. If you don’t make it to your destination in a set amount of time, your contact will be alerted and sent some info about your location.

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Google’s approach is very similar — you go to the Personal Safety app on the Pixel Watch 2 and select Safety Check. This lets you start a timer for your preferred amount of time. When that runs out and you don’t tell the watch you’re okay, Google will let your pre-set contacts know something is up and share your last known or live location.

Safety Check feels like something that’s nice to have on occasion, but what might really improve your daily interactions with the Pixel Watch 2 are updated Google apps like Calendar and Gmail. And in yet another change that sounds very similar to something Apple brought this year, the Google Assistant is getting support for health and fitness queries so you can ask for your real-time or historical stats without touching the screen. Unlike Apple, though, the Pixel Watch 2’s assistant requests are not processed on-device, so they’ll require an internet connection.

There are a lot of changes coming to the Pixel Watch, and some feel more meaningful than others. But will they make for a significant update this year? Is Google simply catching up to Apple and Samsung, or is it leading the way by introducing body-response measurements? Those are questions better answered after some time with a review unit. For now, if you're already excited by the new features, you can already pre-order the device or buy it on October 12. The Pixel Watch 2 is available in silver, black and gold cases with a variety of straps and come with six months of Fitbit Premium included. 

Follow all of the news live from Google’s 2023 Pixel event right here.

Google’s Pixel Watch had years of development time but it still managed to stumble rather than sprint out of the gate. A year later, and the company is hoping it’s a good time to make a better first impression with the Pixel Watch 2. Google says the new wearable has better health and fitness tracking, paired with far sturdier battery life and better integration with its services. And its case is reportedly made out of 100 percent recycled aluminum, to help bolster its green bona fides. But, as pretty as that first-generation watch was, it’s time to see if the company has the gear to back up its many promises.

The Pixel Watch 2 boasts a far deeper bench of fitness and health-tracking utilities, including improved sensors for heart-rate and blood oxygenation monitoring. There’s also a new cEDA (Continuous ElectroDermal Activity) and a skin temperature sensor, both of which were cribbed from Fitbit watches like the Sense 2. These will be used to measure your stress levels and, if it detects a change, will ask you to log your feelings or do some guided breathing exercises. You’ll also get automatic workout tracking and heart zone training to help you meet specific goals. 

There are plenty of similarities with the first model, but the company has made the crown larger and more flush with the rest of the case. And a set of redesigned watch bands are pledged to be lighter and more comfortable than last year's, although they use the same swapping mechanism for backwards compatibility. 

This wouldn’t be a Google launch of anything in 2023 without at least one mention of AI thrown in, either. The company says its machine-learning know-how is capable of offering better insight about the state of your body, and your routine. This generative AI will be made available as a Fitbit Labs program in the near future, to help mine further insight out of your health data.

On the software side, this flavor of Wear OS 4 gets new features like Safety Check (from the Pixel itself), which lets you share your location with family and friends. Should you get into some trouble, you can also set up Emergency Sharing, which will broadcast your location in real-time to trusted contacts. And, as promised a fair while ago now, you’ll finally be able to engage with Gmail and Google Calendar from your wrist. Plus, as pledged back in May, you’ll get tight smart home integrations with Google’s suite of compatible products and the use of tools like WhatsApp.

Google

Last year, Google highlighted the sorry state of silicon development in the wearables world by opting for a years-old system-on-chip. The first Pixel Watch was built on Samsung’s Exynos 9110 from 2018, a fairly sharp indictment of everything else on the market. This year, it’s gone in favor of Qualcomm’s new quad-core Snapdragon Wear 5100 paired with a Cortex M33 co-processor, 32GB eMMC flash and 2GB RAM. The promise of the 5110, of course, is that while it’s not that speedy, it’s tremendously power-efficient, which is just what Pixel Watch owners need.

And the battery is a little bit bigger at 306 mAh, and takes five fewer minutes to charge to full than last year’s model. (You'll also get 50 percent charge with just 30 minutes on the charger.) Google is also making it clear that we should be taking its promise of 24 hours on a single charge with the always-on display running pretty seriously. Given the first model couldn’t manage half of that in our testing, it’s vital that the promise of all day life really does stand up.

For all of the much-ballyhooed new features, much hasn’t changed from one generation to the next. The case (41mm) and height (12.3mm) are visually unchanged, but it is five grams lighter than its predecessor. There’s a redesigned, albeit similar, Gorilla Glass 5 crystal which you’ll stare through to reach the same 320ppi AMOLED display with DCI-P3 color and 1,000 nits peak brightness. The connectivity is unchanged, too, with the same 4G, UMTS, Bluetooth 5.0 and WiFi 4 as on the prior model.

Google’s Pixel Watch 2 is available to pre-order today with the option of a WiFi or an LTE model, with the base model costing $349. It will ship next week, and like its predecessor, buyers will get six months Fitbit Premium thrown in to help you see the benefits of subscribing.

Follow all of the news live from Google’s 2023 Pixel event right here.

During its Made by Google event on Wednesday, Google announced that it will begin rolling out several new Pixel features, including the Pixel Fold’s dual-screen interpreter mode. The novel translation feature, which Engadget tested earlier this year, uses the phone’s folding display to translate both sides of a live conversation.

Dual-screen interpreter mode uses the Pixel Fold’s inner and outer screens to let two people who speak different languages speak face to face, viewing the other person's translated words on their screen in real time. For example, the Pixel Fold owner holds the device while viewing the other person’s live-translated text on the inner screen. Meanwhile, the other person will see the Pixel owner’s spoken words translated on the outer display.

Although there are translation options for viewing both sides of a conversation on the same display for non-folding phones (the standard Google Translate and Apple Translate both do this), dual-screen interpreter “cuts down on the typical back and forth that happens when everyone has to share a single screen,” Engadget’s Sam Rutherford noted after testing the feature. He described it as part of “a growing number of functions available on foldable you simply can’t get when using a traditional glass brick.”

Google

The Pixel Tablet, which we said in our review earlier this year could have a “potentially bright future” with the right software updates, is also receiving a few updates today. The tablet’s Kids Space, a child-friendly mode to teach and entertain little ones, now has a new navigation bar. The streamlined controls make it “easy to switch between apps and get to the home screen.” Additionally, Pixel Tablet owners can now ask Google Assistant to play podcasts and the news without unlocking the device while in Hub Mode (the smart display state it switches to when docked).

In addition, Google is pushing several other Pixel software updates, including a new camera interface. “It’s even easier to discover Pixel’s amazing camera features with a new camera interface that makes navigating photo and video features a breeze,” the company wrote in a statement provided to Engadget ahead of the launch. In addition, Android 14 brings new clock and wallpaper collections and the ability to customize lock screen quick actions. The company is also adding new monochromatic themes to use with Google apps via Material You’s wallpaper-matching dynamic color system.

The updates will roll out to the Pixel Tablet and older Pixel phone models (Pixel 5 / 5a and 4a) beginning today. Owners of newer devices (Pixel 7 series, Pixel 6 series and Pixel Fold) may have to wait as Google says their updates will arrive “over the next few weeks.”