Google to launch Pixel Watch, updated Home and Pixel 3 Lite: Report

Google is planning to launch new hardware this year according to a report by Japanese newspaper Nikkei. The report states that the Made By Google hardware would include a budget Pixel 3, an updated Google Home, and also a smartwatch which could be called as the Pixel watch.

Google has launched the Pixel series and has priced it in the premium segment. The company, with the aim to draw more users into its ecosystem, would launch a budget variant of Pixel 3, which would be called as the Pixel 3 Lite.

The Lite variant will be aimed towards the ‘price sensitive’ markets and would be priced below the iPhone XR, which is priced at $749. Google’s flagship model starts at $799.

The budget smartphone is codenamed as ‘Sargo’ and would feature a 5.6-inch Full HD display. It would be powered by a Snapdragon 675 processor paired with 6 GB RAM and 32 GB storage.

The Pixel 3 Lite would share the same 12.2 MP rear camera unit and 2,915 mAh battery from its premium model. The report does not mention any release date of the device, but a report by Android Police claims that the budget pixel would be launched in Spring during Google I/O in May.

The Nikkei report also mentioned that Google would be introducing a new piece of hardware, namely the Pixel smartwatch. No further information is available on the watch except that the features could be similar to what Apple provides.

There were reports that Google is planning to launch three smartwatches to take on Apple’s Watch. It stated that Google would release the smartwatches along with the Pixel 3, but then it was delayed further.

Google has its own WearOS, which had received a lot of attention when it was launched, but manufacturers stopped releasing smartwatches due to low sales and decreasing popularity.

Further, Nikkei states that Google Home would be getting an update this year. “The company will also roll out an updated version of its signature smart speaker Google Home this year, as well as a new smartwatch to compete with the Apple Watch,” the report read.

Lastly, the report mentions that Google would launch an updated Nest-branded security camera during its October event. 

Nikkei’s reports have been hit and a miss. It had reported that Google would launch the company’s first Smart Display in August 2018 and another report where it claimed that Google would return to China with Google Maps for web and iOS, which turned out to be wrong.