The Google Pixel 3 Watch
For all tech-focused individuals seeking a great Android companion watch
For a long while, I’ve been searching for the right kind of smart watch that could one-up my old Samsung Galaxy S3 watch that I quickly became bored with. I wanted a watch that would sync nicely with my Pixel phone, provide me with some neat new features (can we talk about how much I love the tap to pay feature??), and provide me with updates on my health (including heart rate monitoring and sleep quality data). Before our trip to Washington D.C. over the New Year holiday, I wanted this added convenience, so I thought I’d get myself a late Christmas present to wear on the trip!
My favorite qualities
There’s a lot to love about this watch. From the comfy, stain-resistant silicone band to the constantly-improving features that come standard with the Pixel 3, here are a few of my favorite features that any smart watch lover is bound to enjoy!
1. Perfectly syncs with my Google Pixel 8a phone.
Usually, when I hear a phone notification go off and I’m not near it or don’t have easy access to it, I feel the urge to have to check my phone. With the Pixel watch, I can just lift my wrist as the subtle vibration lets me know any time I receive a text message, app notification, or phone call. I have it perfectly synced so that even when I go to bed at night, the watch recognizes that my phone is in a Do Not Disturb state and replicates that state so I don’t have to manually set a schedule within the watch app to do this.
2. Provides security for me anywhere.
The Pixel watch 3 has a built-in security feature that lets you tap the crown 5 times to automatically send an emergency phone call to emergency services, or if you prefer, any contact you choose. They recently added a touch-and-hold for 3 seconds option to place the call as a second step to prevent any accidental phone calls, if the user wants that extra level of verification. There are some restrictions, however, to this feature based on the country you are calling from, and whether your watch is Wi-Fi or LTE. You can read more on the specifics directly from Google’s info page.
3. Monitors my heart rate, even while sleeping, to alert me of any issues.
While I don’t currently wear my watch to bed, I am able to do so in order to receive updates on my heart health, patterns and trends (including any potential signs of arrhythmia), and my sleep quality. I personally wear my watch during the day, so I can monitor my heart rate while I go on a run, or engage in daily activities. The Fitbit app does send automated alerts if it detects what might be a spike in your stress level due to heart rate, and sends you notifications 10 minutes after a detected spike in your stress level. This is meant to help you monitor your stress levels and be more conscious of your heart rate, so that you can take time to calm down and meditate if need be, or remove yourself from a potentially stressful situation.
4. Allows me to pay for anything with a tap-to-pay feature.
This is probably my favorite feature of the watch! Say goodbye to pulling out your wallet to pay for gas or groceries, or anything you can think of when you’re at a store or vendor that accepts tap payments. You simply scroll up to Google Wallet (after you’ve already added your preferred card to your wallet), and tapping the Wallet app opens your default card. You hold your wrist up to the card reader, and boom- you’re done! This was a feature I especially enjoyed using while on vacation in D.C. – I didn’t like the thought of constantly pulling out my wallet in an area where I was a tourist. So, having a quick and easy way to pay for food and necessities was a relief.
5. Gives me the weather and Google Assistant at-a-glance.
When I’m rushing out the door for a rehearsal or to drive into work, 99% of the time, I have not yet researched what the weather would be like and therefore haven’t dressed appropriately for the Michigan weather. When I’m pressed for time, I can simply glance at my watch and the weather is already displayed on my home screen. A simple tap of the weather icon gives me the overview of the weather for the next 8 hours in my location. Additionally, when I want to ask Google something but don’t have my phone nearby, I can ‘hey google’ into my watch, and the Assistant works as it normally would with your phone, Google speaker, or any other Assistant-powered device. If I’m cooking something and my hands are messy, but I need to know something about a particular cooking method, this comes in very handy as I can keep working without having to use messy hands to research something I can just ask my watch!
Worth the money?
In my opinion, because of the conveniences and features shared above, the watch is well worth the money! You can find it on Amazon today for $340. As with all tech, this price will lower the longer you wait to purchase as Google releases new models. You can also choose an older version of the Pixel watch (please note, however, the older versions aren’t guaranteed to have the features listed above).
Did you find this article helpful? What are you most interested in when shopping for a new smart watch? Let me know in the comments section below!
