Google to Launch 'Pixel Watch' in May... Will It Shake Up the Smartwatch Market?

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Eun-mo] Google's first smartwatch, the 'Pixel Watch,' is expected to be unveiled in May. As Google's entry into the wearable market becomes more visible, there is growing interest in whether it will cause a significant shift in the global smartwatch market, currently led by Apple and Samsung Electronics.

On the 24th, IT specialist media PhoneArena reported, citing IT tipster Jon Prosser, that Google will announce the Pixel Watch on May 26. According to Prosser, the Pixel Watch was initially expected to be revealed around March, but the schedule was delayed, and it will now be introduced during the 'Google I/O Developer Conference' held in May.

The Pixel Watch, which will be Google's first smartwatch, is being developed internally under the project name 'Rohan.' Although the model name has not been finalized, it is reportedly called the Pixel Watch, following the name of Google's smartphone, Pixel.

There is still little known about the specifications and features of the Pixel Watch. However, it is known to run on 'Wear OS,' a wearable operating system jointly developed by Google and Samsung, and to be equipped with a self-developed system-on-chip (SoC). Previously, Samsung Electronics also abandoned its own OS, Tizen, and adopted Google's Wear OS in the 'Galaxy Watch4' series released last year.

According to the released rendering images, the overall design is simple and clean. It features a round body with almost no bezel around the display, and a round crown is positioned in the center on the right side of the watch. Meanwhile, the price is expected to be set at around $300 (approximately 350,000 KRW), similar to the Apple Watch and Galaxy Watch.

Google's entry into the smartwatch market is also expanding interest in the future landscape of the wearable market. According to market research firm Research and Markets, the global smartwatch market is estimated to grow from $59.02 billion (approximately 70.38 trillion KRW) last year to $99 billion (approximately 118.06 trillion KRW) by 2025, with Apple currently leading the market. According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, as of the third quarter of last year, Apple held the top position with a 22% market share, followed by Samsung Electronics with a 14% share.