A lot of tech fans have a soft spot for Nexus smartphones and we can’t blame them. After all, what’s not to love about a high-end device, with stock Android and a pocket-friendly price? Seems like the perfect combination, isn’t it? Well, yeah! Just look at the Nexus 6P, considered by many as the best Android phone ever made.
Considering this, there’s no wonder that there was so much hype when the first rumors about two possible Nexus smartwatches emerged. Yes, not just one, but two of them.
Why Nexus SmartWatches ?
The first question that popped into our minds was related to the reasons why Google is making their own smartwatches. It’s not like manufacturers like LG, Motorola or Huawei were altering the operating system, like they do on smartphones. But it seems that Google wants to control everything and implement exactly the hardware and feature it considers perfect for demonstrating Android Wear’s capabilities.
Of course, we’re not that sure about what to expect from these wearables Google is supposedly working on, since they will be powered by Android Wear, so we’ve decided to put together everything we know so far, in a Nexus smartwatches rumor round-up.
Fish-related codenames
Over the past years, each time the first rumors about a Nexus device were starting to spread, they were referring to the smartphone/table with a fish-related codename. And things haven’t changed and, according to a report from Android Police, citing a very reliable source, the two smartwatches currently go by the names of Angelfish and Swordfish .
However, this shouldn’t be taken as granted, so our recommendation is to take it with a pinch of salt.
Different sizes and features
Presuming that a render released recently, with the two devices, is genuine, the Nexus smartwatches will differ in size.
To be more specific, both watches will be round and there are some rumors about them sporting that annoying black band on the bottom of the display, like the Moto 360. However, the overall design reminds us a lot of the LG Watch Urbane LTE.
Anyway, the Angelfish will be the ‘big boy’, expected to feature both GPS and LTE connectivity, a heart rate monitor and a 43.5 mm thin body with three buttons, a premiere for Android Wear. Speaking about the operating system, the smartwatch will have Android Wear 2.0 on board.
Rumors also say that these buttons will be used for controlling Google Assistant features, an extension of Google Now, unveiled at this year’s I/O developer conference.
As for Swordfish, the little brother, it has a bit of Pebble Round flavor, in terms of design. It will apparently lack LTE or GPS, while the heart rate monitor will also be missing. It is said to have 42 mm in diameter and just 10.6 mm in thickness, featuring a single button on the side. Just like Angelfish, it will be based on Android Wear 2.0.
Yes, this smaller Nexus smartwatch will definitely be cheaper, but one of its pluses will be the compatibility with MODE interchangeable bands, allowing users to customize it, something that Angelfish owners won’t be able to do.
No need for a smartphone!
It seems that Angelfish, which can be considered the flagship smartwatch, will be powered by a Qualcomm chip, allowing it to work without the need for a smartphone. Pankaj Kedia, the boss of Qualcomm’s Smart Wearables division, recently declared this and, if it turns out to be true, it should give the Nexus smartwatch a huge advantage over a lot of competitors.
Launch date
Most likely, the two Nexus smartwatches will be introduced this fall, during the same event where this year’s Nexus smartphone (or smartphones) will be presented. On the other side, let’s not forget that a final version of Android Wear 2.0 wasn’t released yet, so we might as well see a delay.
What are your thoughts on this? Would you buy a Nexus smartwatch? What features would you like to see? Share your opinion with us, using the comments section below!