Google unveils the Pixel Watch 5 with a smarter Gemini and advanced health monitoring

Google showcased the Pixel Watch 5 at its Made by Google event on Wednesday, highlighting its upgraded Gemini capabilities and enhanced health monitoring features. Priced starting at $399, the smartwatch can measure blood pressure patterns and insulin resistance, offering personalized assistance and improved sleep tracking. Users can proactively receive context-based suggestions and use voice commands to manage tasks like finding nearby dining options or setting alarms.

The watch presents timely updates such as flight details and ETA reminders directly on the watch face. "Health Guardian" is a suite of proactive health tools that monitor blood pressure patterns and identify potential metabolic health issues linked to insulin resistance and diabetes risks. The watch's oxygen saturation detection feature alerts emergency services when a breathing emergency occurs, initially available in European countries with plans to expand.

Sleep tracking accuracy has improved by 15%, and a new bedtime watch face reduces nighttime distractions. "Smart Wake" wakes users at the most suitable point in their sleep cycle, while a new sleep breathing quality metric tracks minute-by-minute blood oxygen level changes. In terms of fitness, the Pixel Watch 5 offers more precise GPS route tracking, which is twice as accurate as previous models, and delivers 20% faster overall performance.

Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 platform with 12% more CPU performance and 50% more RAM, the Pixel Watch 5 supports up to 40 hours of battery life and is available in new colors like Canyon Fog and Olive. The 41mm version begins at $399, while the 44mm version launches at $429 and goes on preorder starting Wednesday, with availability on August 20.