Google trademarks 'Pixel Watch' name ahead of I/O 2022

Looks like Google’s making a smartwatch.

In incredibly unsurprising news,9to5Googlereported that Google filed a trademark on Tuesday for "Pixel Watch." The trademark application is freely available online, though there isn’t much to glean from it. Here’s the entirety of what the page says about Google’s plans:

“PIXEL WATCH™ trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of smartwatches; cases adapted for holding smartwatches; wearable computers in the nature of smartwatches; smartwatch straps; smartwatch bands.”

Google has yet to officially announce any kind of smartwatch to add to its product portfolio, but the signs have been there for a while. 91Mobilesshared an apparent render of the device, showing its circular screen with a basic UI showing the time and a step counter, just this week. It makes a ton of sense for Google to make its own Pixel-branded watch, seeing as the company already makes Wear OSfor third-party watchmakers to use in their own devices. 

In other words, it’s like when Google decided to make its own Pixel smartphonesafter many years of maintaining and updating Android for other hardware companies to use in their own phones. Pixel phones have gotten to be pretty excellent over the years, so if Google can reach that level of quality with Pixel Watch, it could be a nice alternative to Samsung’s Galaxy Watch. 

With Google’s annual I/O eventjust around the corner on May 11, don’t be surprised if we see Pixel Watch there.